Waiting For You
by Stiffanie
Summary: A Ranma 1/2 tale of everlasting love. True love doesn't have a happy ending, it simply doesn't end.
1. A Gift for Akane

Waiting For You   
A Ranma 1/2 Fanfic By [Stiffanie Flores][1] Homepage: [Ranma Fanfiction by Stiffanie ][2]

Disclaimer : Ranma 1/2 and all characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi. This fanfic is written for enjoyment and self-fulfillment purposes only. 

Chapter 1:  
A Gift for Akane   
  


Sunlight streamed in through the window. Pots were cooking on the stove, and Kasumi was humming softly as she chopped up some vegetables. Today was special, so she'd prepared a special breakfast. 

Carefully, she set each dish on a plate, and brought them out to the dining room. The table was set. She'd carefully arranged fresh flowers in vases around the house. She'd prepared all of the family's favorite dishes. Everything was set. 

It was just about time for everyone to wake up. 

A flash of movement caught her eye, and she turned to see Ranma walking out. 

He smiled at Kasumi's "Good morning!" and started to do his morning exercises. Kasumi watched him from the dining room. His movements were fluid, his muscles straining, as he performed his katas. But even from the distance, Kasumi could sense the difference in today's training. Ranma's mind was distracted as he mechanically went through the exercises. 

Ranma looked up and saw Kasumi's gaze on him. Caught spying, she smiled at him, and went back to the kitchen. When she was gone, Ranma wiped the sweat off his brow, and assumed a lotus position on the ground, the needles of grass tickling his bare feet. 

He gazed up at the blue sky, as if beseeching it for guidance. He berated himself for waiting this long. Today was the day, and he hadn't thought of anything yet. 

"Good morning!" 

Akane stepped out to stand beside him. She was looking down at him and smiling. "Good morning," Ranma replied. 

"Akane, breakfast," called out Kasumi's voice. The eldest Tendo sister took her seat at the table as Nabiki, Soun, and Genma-panda came out. 

Ranma stood up and followed Akane inside. He took his seat beside her, and reached for the bowls of rice Kasumi held out. Turning to Akane, he handed one to her. 

"Thank you." Akane picked up her chopsticks, and began eating. 

"Akane, could you run out for some groceries this afternoon?" 

Akane nodded at her sister. She swallowed her food and asked, "Sure. Why, are we out of supplies already?" 

Kasumi thought for a moment. "I just need some soy sauce, a pound of sugar, a bottle of salad oil..." She broke off, smiling. "I guess I'd better make a list." 

"I'll go with you, Akane." 

Akane started, looking at Ranma with surprised eyes. "You're coming with me?" she asked. "For real?" 

Ranma lowered his eyes, embarrassed. "Yeah, sure. I have to pick up a few things." 

*He remembers?* Akane's eyes glowed with happiness. 

She was still staring at him, and Ranma shifted awkwardly. "Look, I'm not asking you out or anything, okay? Who'd want to date a stupid tomboy like - oomph!" 

Akane punched his face. "Baka," she muttered. *Just great, Akane,* she scolded herself. *Get your hopes up again. As if he'd ever think of anyone besides himself.* 

Ranma rubbed his cheek as he stood up. *Violent tomboy. Don't know why I bother to be nice to you.* 

Ranma walked back to his room, still angry. She always yelled at him. She never gave him a chance to finish what he was saying before she hit him with her mallet. She never let him explain whenever she found Shampoo or Ukyou in his arms. She always tries to poison him with her cooking - if you can call it that. She calls him a pervert even though most of the times she walks in on him. 

*I'm nothing but a sex-changing, free-loading pervert in her eyes. So why the hell do I still put up with all that crap?* 

Ranma pushed open the door to his room, and sank down on the floor, staring up at the ceiling. Unbidden, visions of Akane filled his mind. He saw her rushing to him with a kettle of hot water to turn him back to a guy. He imagined her smiling up at him, as they were on their way to school, late as usual. He saw her expressive eyes filled with joy, every time he won a battle, or darkened with sorrow, when she would try to comfort him, every time he lost. 

More than anything else, he remembered holding her after battling Saffron in Jyusenkyo, her body still as death. Terror he'd never known filled his heart, as he'd begged her to come back, the tears he couldn't hold back streaming down his cheeks. For the moment he'd thought she was lost to him forever, he'd contemplated living without her, and he couldn't imagine what it would be like without her at his side. For he'd realized it was her he'd lived for, and without her, he couldn't imagine being happy ever again. 

For a rare moment, he pushed aside all his delusions and doubts, and let himself face the truth. *Because you like her, you stupid jerk. And the way she smiles at you makes everything worth it.* 

Ranma sighed, lying down on his futon. Deep inside, he'd known how he felt for her. Back in Jyusenkyo, it was the first time he'd admitted to himself that he loved her. The words had burst forth from his heart, as the dam he'd built to hide from his feelings broke down with the grief over Akane's near-death. And although she'd agreed to the wedding engineered by their parents, he still wasn't sure how she felt for him. 

When she was angry at him, he was sure she hated him. Never needed a reason to, just for simply being himself. He would get so mad at her, when she would blame him for everything that went wrong, even if nothing had been his fault. And he would lash right back at her, saying things he knew would hurt her. Whenever she made him angry, he would forget that he had to be nice to her, as her fiancee. He would forget all those times she seemed so happy when he would do something for her. 

He remembered the present Nodoka had asked him to give Akane. He'd thought it was a ring. Heck, everyone thought it was an engagement ring. He'd been terrified thinking of her reaction. He'd thought up ways to give it to her without giving her the impression he was proposing marriage. When she'd finally opened the ring case, and he saw the look in her eyes as she gazed at the plain gold band, he thought she'd never looked more beautiful. She'd looked so happy, at least until they found out it wasn't a ring after all. 

So many times he'd seen her look so happy when he did something for her. He glowed inside whenever she smiled at him. Her smile makes him forget he thought she was a stupid, violent, uncute tomboy. Her smile could break down all his defenses and reach inside him to fill him with happiness he'd never known. 

He wanted to do something for her. He didn't have much money, nor did he have much time. But he wanted to make her happy, make her smile. Even just for today. 

It was her birthday, after all. 

**** 

*Stupid Ranma.* 

Akane walked down the hall to Ranma's room. *Why can't he ever be nice to me? I swear, if he insults me one more time, he's really gonna get it.* 

She pushed the door open with a loud swish. Ranma was sitting on the floor, counting the money in his wallet. He looked up as she entered. 

He smiled. Akane could forget what a jerk he was, whenever he smiled at her. "Are you coming or not?" she asked, leaning against the door behind her. "'Cause if you're not, I'm leaving right now." 

Ranma stood up. "Sure. I'm ready to go now." 

Akane turned to leave, when Ranma's voice halted her. "Akane." 

She looked at him, surprised. He smiled again. "Happy Birthday, Akane," he told her. 

It was like the first rays of sunshine bursting through the darkness. Remnants of her anger faded away. "Thank you, Ranma." 

He scratched his head, sheepishly. "Sorry I don't have anything for you. I'm kind of low on cash right now." 

She shook her head. "That's okay, Ranma. I'm glad you remembered." 

In happy companionship, they left for the mall. 

**** 

"Ranma, let's go look around for a while, okay?" 

He hid his smile. He had counted on this. "Sure, Akane. Whatever you like." 

If Akane was suspicious why he was being so nice, she didn't say anything. Together, they strolled through boutiques and gift shops, not really intent on buying something, just for the simple fun of window-shopping. 

At least, for Akane. Ranma's thoughts were a different matter. He was hoping to get an idea of what to get her, as he browsed through the shops with her. 

Akane didn't even entertain the notion that Ranma might be shopping for a gift for her. She'd accepted what he'd said about being broke for the truth. Ranma always fell victim to Nabiki's scams, so Akane knew most of his money went to Nabiki, one way or the other. 

Akane stopped in front of her favorite dress shop. "Let's go in," she told him, and not really waiting for his reply, went in ahead. 

Ranma didn't really mind, although being a guy, he felt uncomfortable merely being inside a women's boutique. Even if he did mind, his resolve to be agreeable would silence all his protests. 

Ranma stood just inside the door as Akane shuffled through the racks. Casually, he peered at the displays in the store window. A glimmer of light caught his eye, and he saw a pair of crystal swans, their graceful necks joined to form a delicate heart. Even from the distance he could see the magnificent handiwork. He could guess it would cost quite a bundle, too. 

"Ranma!" Akane waved at him from the back of the room, holding out a blue silk dress. 

Ranma walked to her as she held the dress up against her, smiling. "What do you think?" she asked. The dress came to just above her knees. It was sleeveless, and yellow and blue flowers adorned the soft blue fabric. 

He was no expert on women's clothing, but he could tell it would look good on her. "It suits you," he said simply. 

"Really?" Akane held the dress at arm's length, fingering the price tag. 

"Why don't you try it on, miss?" The saleslady beside Akane gestured towards the fitting rooms. 

Akane smiled, shaking her head. "No thanks," she replied, handing the dress hanger back to the woman. 

"Come again," the saleslady called after them as they left the store. 

"Why didn't you get that dress, Akane?" Ranma asked. "I could tell that you liked it." 

She shrugged. "It's very pretty, but it's a little out of my price range." She brightened. "There's a sale next week. Maybe I could get a discount then." 

Ranma nodded, seeming distracted. Akane nudged him to get his attention. "Or maybe you can get it for me for my birthday," she suggested, grinning devilishly. 

Ranma paled. "Look, Akane, you know I'm broke. There's no way I could afford a dress like that. I - " 

Akane laughed, punching his arm lightly. "I was only kidding, Ranma." She linked her arms through his, leading him to the supermarket. "Anyway, we'd better get Kasumi's groceries and head home, before I see anything else I like." 

Ranma let her lead him along, his mind already imagining the soft, flowing dress on Akane. 

**** 

Akane closed the bathroom door behind her, still toweling her hair. She sniffed the air, smiling as she thought of the wonderful things Kasumi was preparing for dinner. She'd probably have a cake, just like last year. 

She went into her room, sighing to herself. If only she could cook as well as Kasumi. She could prepare her own birthday dinner. She could surprise Ranma with a homemade cake and his favorite dishes on his birthday. She could- 

The first thing Akane noticed was the package propped up on her study table. It was wrapped with a bright yellow paper, and tied with a dark red bow. Curious, she walked over to pick it up. The label simply said, *Akane,* with no indication of who it was from. 

*Who could it be?* she thought. She'd already received presents from her family. Kasumi had knitted her a new sweater. Nabiki had given her a scarf. And the big white teddy bear on her bed was from her father and Genma. And Ranma said he was - Ranma! 

Certain it was from Ranma, she tore open the wrapping eagerly, and flipped open the box. She uttered a little cry of glee as she gently lifted a blue dress. A soft smile played on her lips. It was the same dress she'd admired at the boutique. A small silver brooch set with an aquamarine stone was pinned on the dress. 

Crossing the room to lock her door, she shed her clothes, and put the dress on. She reached behind her to struggle with the zipper, jumping in surprise when the pin pricked her. In her hurry she hadn't noticed that the clasp was left open. Carefully, she secured the clasp, and peered closely at her skin. Luckily, the wound did not draw blood. 

Brushing her palms down the dress, she marveled at the feel of the soft fabric on her skin. She was reaching for her mirror when someone knocked on her door. "Can I come in?" called Ranma's voice. 

She hurried to unlock the door to let Ranma in. He stepped inside her room, his eyes pausing on her. A slow grin spread across his lips. "Hey, that looks nice," he told her. 

"Thank you for the dress." She smiled at him. "I thought you were broke. How could you afford it?" 

Ranma looked at her, puzzled. "But I didn't buy you any dress," he said. 

Akane blinked. "Then - " She trailed off as he thrust a package in front of her. "I've got something for you." Ranma watched her as she stared up at him. 

"Wait a minute, this dress..." Akane sat down on her bed, still baffled. "Who could it be from?" She looked at him suspiciously, then at the package he held out. "Are you sure this isn't from you?" 

Ranma laughed. "Are you kidding, Akane? I couldn't possibly afford two presents for you, could I?" He dropped the small box on her lap and sat down on the floor in front of her. "Come on, open it," he urged, as she continued to stare at him. "We'll find out who it's from later, Akane." 

"All right." Akane carefully tore open the package to reveal a flat jeweler's box. She threw a surprised look at Ranma as she flipped open the lid. 

Nestled against the white satin was a thin gold necklace with matching earrings. Six tiny daisies were linked together by the gold chain. The dainty petals were set with small blue stones, matching the delicate flowers in the earrings. 

Akane fingered the necklace as Ranma spoke. "I thought it would match that dress you're wearing. Not that I knew you were going to get it so soon. I'd hoped that you would buy it next week at the sale you mentioned." 

After they'd come home, and Akane had gone up to her room, Ranma made a quick trip back to the mall. He was feeling hopeless, and was just about to head for the toy store to buy her a stuffed toy, when he'd passed by a ladies' boutique. 

The pretty blue stones had caught his eye. A vision of Akane wearing the blue dress had flashed in his mind, and he'd gone inside the store for a closer look. Up close, the stones were even prettier, and even though they weren't real, they didn't look like cheap stock. The second good thing was that he could afford it. 

The salesman had winked at Ranma conversationally as he pulled the money out of his wallet. "For your girlfriend?" the man had asked. 

"No, my fiancee," Ranma had answered, reddening. 

Ranma looked at Akane now, waiting for her reaction. 

When Akane glanced up to look straight into his eyes, he fumbled with his words. "I know I told you I was broke this morning, but then I still hadn't thought of what to give you, and I wanted to surprise you." 

Akane opened her mouth to speak, but Ranma cut her off as he hurried through his explanation. "The stones ain't real, you know. And the necklace and earrings are only gold-plated. It's not exactly expensive finery. You know I could never afford nothing like that. When I saw it, I just thought it would look good with the dress, so I - " 

He stopped talking as she held a finger in front of his eyes. Akane shook her head. "Thank you, Ranma. It's beautiful." She gently lifted the necklace out of the box. "Help me put it on?" she asked. 

Ranma helped her secure the necklace around her throat. She put on the earrings, and ran her fingers through her short hair. "What do you think?" she asked. 

"It even matches that brooch you're wearing," Ranma commented, noticing the blue pin for the first time. 

"This?" Akane fingered the stone on the brooch. "It came with the dress. I wonder who had left it on my table?" 

Ranma raised his eyebrows. "You found it on your table?" 

"Yeah, just as I came in my room after my bath. I'd assumed it was from you, especially after I saw the dress. I mean, who else could it be?" 

He shrugged. "You'll find out later, don't worry. The dress was probably just a coincidence." 

"Ranma, Akane, dinner!" Kasumi's voice called from downstairs. 

Akane smiled at Ranma as they walked out of her room. "Your favorite time of the day." 

"Kasumi's cooking makes it difficult not to look forward to it." 

*Yeah,* Akane thought sadly, remembering her earlier thoughts. *If only you were that enthusiastic about _my_ cooking.* 

They had made it to the stairs when Akane felt the world tip on end. She gripped the banister to steady herself. 

The room blurred in her vision, and she closed her eyes, shaking her head to clear her mind. 

Ranma grabbed her arm, and Akane blinked, her eyes snapping to focus again. *What was that?* she thought to herself. 

"You okay, Akane?" 

Akane nodded at Ranma's voice. "Sure." 

Ranma let go of her arm, and they went downstairs together. 

Nabiki raised her brow as the couple appeared at the table. "New dress, Akane?" 

"You like it, oneechan?" Akane asked. 

"If I say yes, can I borrow it?" 

Akane laughed, shaking her head. "Not until I've worn it a few times." She glared at her sister. "Don't get any ideas." 

She put her hand on her throat, where the necklace rested. "Like my new necklace, Nabiki?" 

Nabiki motioned Akane closer, and peered at the tiny stones. "Ain't real," she commented. "But pretty enough." 

Akane smiled. "Ranma gave it to me." 

Upon hearing this, Soun let out a fresh wail. "Did you hear that, Saotome? Our children are getting along! Our families can still be joined. Wah!" 

Genma-panda held up a sign. *Way to go, boy!* 

Nabiki, Akane, and Ranma rolled their eyes to heaven as Soun bawled like a child. Kasumi's appearance put an end to the racket. 

"Father, you promised you wouldn't get over-emotional," her soft voice scolded him. 

Kasumi came out of the kitchen carrying a big homemade cake. "Happy birthday, Akane." 

Akane beamed at her eldest sister as she started to step forward to help Kasumi set the cake on the table. A wave of dizziness attacked her, and she paused in mid-step, putting a hand to her forehead. 

Already seated at the table, Ranma started to get up. "Akane?" 

Akane waved him back to his seat. "I'm fine, Ranma. You don't need to get up." She started to smile at her family reassuringly, as the hammers in her head continued pounding. 

The room spun around her, making her head throb. Vaguely, she heard voices calling her name, as darkness closed around her.   
  
  


*** End CHAPTER 1 *** 

   [1]: mailto:stiffanie@mailcity.com
   [2]: http://www.angelfire.com/sd/Ranmafanfic/index.html



	2. Poison

Waiting For You   
A Ranma 1/2 Fanfic By [Stiffanie Flores][1] Homepage: [Ranma Fanfiction by Stiffanie ][2]

Disclaimer : Ranma 1/2 and all characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi. This fanfic is written for enjoyment and self-fulfillment purposes only. 

Chapter 2:  
Poison   
  


Ranma caught her before she hit the floor. 

Everyone crowded around Ranma, demanding to know what happened. Ranma ignored their voices, as he lifted Akane into his arms, gently cradling her face against his chest. 

"Akane! Wake up! Please, Akane, don't die!" Soun was in his usual overemotional state. 

"Father, she'll be okay." Kasumi's voice soothed her father. "Akane's fine. Don't worry, Father. No, she isn't going to die. Stop crying, Father!" 

"I'm taking Akane up to her room," Ranma said. Without waiting for a response, he carried Akane out of the room. 

Nabiki followed Ranma up to Akane's bedroom. He nudged the door open with his foot, and walked in, carefully laying Akane on her bed. Coming in behind him, Nabiki switched on the light. 

Ranma sat at the edge of Akane's bed, a worried expression in his eyes. Nabiki watched him smooth the hair out of Akane's eyes, as she came to stand beside him. 

"She'll be okay, Ranma," she assured him. 

Ranma didn't answer, as a soft moan escaped Akane's lips. "Akane?" he whispered softly, reaching for her hand. 

Akane's eyes fluttered open, staring at Ranma. She looked around, realizing she was in her room. "Why are we here?" she asked, trying to get up. 

Ranma helped her sit up on her bed. She leaned against the headboard, feeling unusually tired. "Can anyone tell me why we're here?" she repeated, when no one answered her question. "Nabiki?" 

Nabiki shrugged. "You fainted." 

Akane blinked. "What? I never faint," she cried indignantly. 

Ranma stood up, crossing his arms over his chest. "Well, apparently, you did. Care to tell us what happened?" he told her. 

Akane shook her head. "I don't know. I just felt dizzy, and next thing I remember, I'm here on my bed." 

"Akane!" Soun burst in her room, followed by Kasumi. Genma was a few steps behind them, as he'd stopped to get some hot water. 

"Are you okay, Akane?" Kasumi asked. 

Akane tried to muster a smile. "I'm fine, Kasumi, Dad. Don't worry." 

"You haven't even had dinner yet," Genma called as he came in the room. 

"That's okay, Uncle Saotome," Kasumi replied. "I'll bring Akane up her supper." 

"No, Kasumi. I'll just go down." 

"No, you're not." Ranma glowered down at her. "You're staying right here. No buts." 

Akane glared back. "I feel fine," she insisted. 

Nabiki wondered if Ranma realized how much he sounded like a worried, overprotective husband. 

"It's no bother, Akane," Kasumi assured her. "It'll be better if you rest tonight. And go see Dr. Tofu tomorrow." 

Akane groaned. "Kasumi! I told you, I'm fine. I just had a headache, that's all. Don't go overboard." 

"You're going to see Dr. Tofu. That's final," Ranma snapped. 

Akane scowled. "Don't be silly, Ranma." 

"Dummy! Do you want us to worry more?" he shouted back. 

Akane's eyes softened. "Ranma," she whispered, staring at him. Ranma looked away awkwardly. 

Kasumi smiled, satisfied. "I'll be right back with your supper, Akane," she called, already leaving. "Come on, Father. Let's have some dinner." She gently pushed her father out of the room. 

"We're going down to dinner, too, Akane," Nabiki said, patting Akane's hand. "Just sit here and wait for Kasumi." She followed Soun and Genma out the door. 

Ranma sat down on the floor beside Akane's bed, watching them leave. Akane's voice calling his name had him turning to look at her. 

"You were worried about me?" she asked, her eyes shining. 

Ranma's face flushed. "You fainted, okay? It was scary. We thought something had happened to you." 

She shook her head. "I'm fine, Ranma. Really." She smiled tentatively. "But if it means that much to you, I'll see Dr. Tofu in the morning." She watched him open his mouth, almost expecting him to deny it. 

*Why should I care about you, stupid tomboy? I'm sure a violent girl like you can handle whatever it is.* The words popped in his head, and Ranma beat them back with a fury. Denying everything had become his escape route for too long, and old habits died hard. 

He looked up and met her gaze, letting his concern show in his gray eyes. "I'd feel better if you do," he said. 

"Come with me?" she asked hesitantly, holding his gaze. 

Ranma only paused a second before nodding. He watched a slow smile spread across Akane's lips. "Thank you, Ranma," she said softly. 

They were sitting there like that, looking at each other, with no words to say, when Kasumi walked in with a tray of food. 

Kasumi smiled at the couple as she laid the tray down on Akane's table. "I brought your dinner up too, Ranma-kun," she said, turning to Ranma. She wiped her arms on her apron as she looked down at Ranma, sitting on the floor. "Is that okay? You could keep Akane company." 

Ranma nodded, pushing himself up to his feet. He walked over to Akane's table, taking the stack of books on the desk and putting them aside on the floor, out of the way. Putting his hands on both ends of the table, he lifted the desk effortlessly, careful not to topple the bowls of food. 

He set the desk down in front of Akane, who was sitting cross-legged on her bed. Snagging the chair with his foot, he sat down opposite her, handing Akane the first bowl of rice. Picking up his chopsticks, he looked up and smiled at Kasumi. 

"We'll be fine, Kasumi," he told her. "I'll just bring the dishes down when we're finished." 

Kasumi nodded, already heading for the door. "That'll be fine, Ranma," she said. "Eat well, Akane." 

The door closed softly behind Kasumi as Akane picked up a piece of seasoned pork with her chopsticks. 

They ate in companionable silence, Akane watching Ranma out of the corner of her eye. "Ranma?" 

He looked up, chopsticks in his mouth. 

She blushed slightly. "I want to ask you something," she said. "Promise you'll tell the truth?" 

"What is it?" 

She took a deep breath. "Well, we've been engaged for more than a year now," she began timidly. "And I was just - I mean, I - how do you feel about our engagement?" she blurted out. 

Ranma swallowed. "Huh?" 

She looked away. "I want to know how you feel about us." 

"What do you mean?" 

"Don't play dumb, Ranma," she snapped. "I know you know what I mean." Her eyes softened. "Are you happy engaged to me?" 

Ranma snorted. "As if I have a choice." 

He held up his hands quickly as Akane picked a book up and started to throw it at him. "Okay! Okay! I'm sorry." 

"Ranma..." He was surprised at the pleading tone in her voice. "Tell me the truth. Please." 

She bowed her head. "Don't you think this engagement has gone on for far too long already?" she asked. "I mean, if you want, we could just - " 

"We could do what?" Ranma asked, struggling to sound disinterested. 

She raised her eyes to his. "We could just break it," she said softly. "If you don't want to stay engaged to me anymore, I mean." 

Ranma felt as if the walls of Akane's room were closing around him. His fingers twitched nervously where they gripped the edge of the table. 

"You - you want to break it?" he asked. He tried to block out the horrible pounding noise in his head, which he realized was the sound of his accelerated heartbeat. 

She stared at him a long time before answering. "I don't know," she whispered, wrapping her arms around herself. "Sometimes, when we fight, when you insult me, yeah, I think I do. But other times..." 

Her eyes glistened with her vulnerability as she continued, "Other times, when it's just you and me, when we're getting along, I feel..." She broke off, laughing softly. "I don't know how I feel. But I know I've never felt it with anyone else before." 

She bit her lip nervously. "You always protect me. In all the time I've known you, I've never been afraid something would happen to me, because I know you're always here for me. That much I know." 

She looked up at him. "How about you?" she asked. "Do you - do you want to break it?" 

"Akane..." He stared at her, emotions swirling inside him. 

He closed his eyes briefly, memories of the past flooding his thoughts. Akane, leaping into the Orochi's mouth to save him. Akane, giving him a tiny, heart-shaped chocolate for Valentines... 

Akane helping him, smiling at him, taking his hand... 

He hadn't even realized it, but somehow, she'd become more than just his friend, or his fiancee. She was a part of *him*. She represented everything good he'd found in his life for the past two years - laughter, joy ... and love. She'd been a part of his life, ever since that first day he stepped into the Tendo dojo. Even the simplest things, like running to school every morning, seemed incomplete and lifeless, without Akane there running alongside him... 

He shook his head, as a slow smile spread across his lips. "No," he whispered. "I - I..." 

Realizing he'd spoken out loud, he snapped his gaze back to her, his heart thumping in his chest. He looked at her, saw the hopeful, pleading look in her eyes, that Akane herself was probably unaware of. Just like the episode with Nabiki. 

Nabiki had once again tried to lure Ranma into one of her scams, this time by claiming him as her fiancee. He remembered his plan to get back at Nabiki, to trick her by saying he loved her. 

He'd grabbed her from behind, and shouted out, "I love you!", his mind gleefully anticipating the shocked expression that would be in Nabiki's face. Oh, it would have been priceless... 

Except that he'd grabbed Akane by mistake. And the look in her eyes, pleading with him silently, "Do you mean it, Ranma?" made his heart throb painfully in his chest and his breath catch in his throat. And the way she smiled at him afterwards, as she accepted the bouquet of flowers, filled his heart with happiness unlike any he'd ever experienced before. 

Her voice softly whispering his name had him snapping back to reality. He looked at her, torn between telling her the truth, or denying everything as he always had. 

One look at her took the decision from his hands. 

He smiled again, wanting to reassure her. "I'm very happy, Akane." 

Her eyes shone with uncertainty. "Really?" 

Ranma nodded. "I'm happy to be here." 

He watched her twiddle her thumbs. "Well, sometimes it doesn't seem like it," she muttered. 

"What?" 

Ranma was staring at her open-mouthed. Akane glared at him. "Close your mouth, stupid," she snapped. "Before you try to put your foot in it again." 

Obediently, Ranma closed his mouth. Akane rubbed her hands along her bare arms as she spoke. "Is it cold?" she asked. 

Ranma shrugged. "Just fine. Are you cold?" he asked. 

She shivered slightly. "Not really." 

Ranma looked at her in concern. She was breathing in shallow gasps, and her coloring looked pale. "Are you okay, Akane?" 

"I'm fine, Ranma." 

"That's what you said before you fainted, stupid." He got up and pushed the table aside, the legs scraping against the floor as he did. 

Akane put both hands on her ears to block out the screeching noise. "Don't shout at me, damn you," she replied, wincing. "My head hurts." 

Her teeth chattered. Akane wrapped both her arms around herself as she shivered, her whole body trembling. 

Ranma sat down beside her as he laid a hand on top of hers. Her skin felt like it was on fire. "Akane?" 

Icy needles of pain shot through her. Her eyes were half-closed, as she leaned against the wall, oblivious to almost everything else but the cold. 

Dimly she heard Ranma's voice calling her name, but he sounded so far away. His voice echoed repeatedly in her head, and she tried to call out to him, but no sound came out. 

Through her dull senses, she felt herself being lifted off the bed. Through the haze of pain, she could feel the heat emanating from his body, and she snuggled against him, pressed her face into his chest, loving the feel of his silk shirt rubbing against her cheek. 

The last thing she remembered was listening to his heart pounding against his chest, and she whispered his name one last time, before the world around her faded into nothingness. 

**** 

Dr. Tofu had just been ready to go to bed, when loud banging on his front door had resounded throughout the clinic. Puzzled, he'd quickly come down for a look. 

He had opened the door to find Ranma carrying an unconscious Akane in his arms, trying to catch his breath after running the few blocks from the Tendo house to the clinic. 

Dr. Tofu gaped at Akane, his eyes wide. "What happened?" Quickly regaining his composure, he stood aside to let Ranma in. 

"Bring her in to the examination room, Ranma." He walked a few steps ahead, leading the way. 

Ranma gently lay Akane down on the bed, as Dr. Tofu touched a hand to her forehead, and did a quick examination. Ranma stood beside the bed, looking on anxiously. 

The doctor looked at Ranma, puzzled. "What happened, Ranma?" 

The younger boy shrugged. "I don't know. She just fainted. She's never fainted before." His voice was filled with uncertainty. 

"Calm down, Ranma," the doctor instructed. "I can't handle two patients at the same time." He glanced back at Akane. "She hasn't woken up since?" 

"Oh, no. She woke up minutes later, and we had dinner. She said she was feeling better. And then she started complaining about feeling cold. When I touched her skin, she felt so hot. The next thing I knew, she was unconscious again." He glanced up at Dr. Tofu. "Sorry to bother you when it's so late, but we were worried." 

Dr. Tofu shook his head. "All in a day's job, Ranma." He frowned as he looked down at Akane. 

Ranma noticed the telltale reaction. "What's wrong, doctor?" 

"I'm not sure yet," he said softly, almost to himself. "Her temperature is abnormally high, and her pulse rate is ..." 

The doctor turned abruptly and left the room. Ranma could hear him rummaging in drawers in the adjoining room. He came back with a syringe and a couple of vials. 

He quickly filled the syringe with the contents from the first vial. "I could give her something to stabilize her condition," he told Ranma. "Aside from that, I still don't know what's wrong. I'd have to run some tests." 

Ranma watched as the doctor carefully pressed the plunger, wincing as the needle drove into Akane's skin. Dr. Tofu noted his reaction and almost smiled. "Afraid of needles, Ranma?" 

He shook his head absently. "No." He took a seat beside the bed. Looking up at Tofu, he smiled weakly. "I've had much worse than that." 

"So I've heard." Tofu set the syringe down on the tray beside him and looked at Ranma. "You'll have to leave Akane here tonight," he said. "I'll run some tests, and by tomorrow we should be able to find out what's wrong with her." 

He smiled kindly at the younger man. "You could go home now and come back in the morning." He raised his brows. "Or would you like to stay here tonight to look after her?" 

Ranma glanced down at Akane's sleeping figure, his eyes troubled, recalling their conversation in her room. He looked back up at the doctor, who was waiting for his answer. 

"I - uh," he stammered, scratching his head. "I'd like to stay, if it's okay." 

Dr. Tofu nodded. "Of course it's okay, Ranma. Let's take her up to her room first, then I'll get you a spare cot or something." 

Ranma lifted Akane into his arms, his mouth opening to protest. Dr. Tofu silenced him with a look. "It's no bother, Ranma," he said. "Really. Besides," he added with a grin, "you're one of my regulars. Business has picked up ever since you came to town." 

Ranma managed a small smile as he followed the older man up the stairs. Dr. Tofu stopped outside the second room on the left, and opened the door, motioning for Ranma to go on inside. Ranma gently laid Akane on the bed, as the overhead light flicked into life above them, bathing the room in a warm glow. 

"I'll call Akane's family to notify them, Ranma," Dr. Tofu called from the door. "Should I ask them to bring over anything you'd need for the night?" 

Ranma sat down on the chair beside the bed. "No thanks, doc," he replied. "I'll be fine." 

"Good night." 

The door closed quietly, leaving Ranma alone in the room with his fiancee. He reached out to clasp her hand, as he edged his chair closer. He leaned his head on the bed beside her arm, closing his eyes briefly. *Please be okay,* he whispered softly. *Please, please, be okay.* 

**** 

The door burst open, hitting against the wall with a bang, jolting Ranma awake. He looked up, his eyes focusing sleepily on Soun Tendo. Akane's father was standing in the doorway, staring at his youngest daughter as his eyes started to fill with tears. "Akane!" he wailed. 

Kasumi patted him gently on the back. "Akane will be fine, Father," she said soothingly. "Dr. Tofu would take care of everything." 

Nabiki glanced at Akane, and was reassured to find her sleeping peacefully. "So," she drawled, her gaze drifting to the disoriented boy sitting beside the bed, smiling as she watched him blink the sleep from his eyes. "You stayed here all night?" 

Ranma nodded blearily, too tired to answer. He'd stayed up most of the night watching over Akane, in the hopes that she'd awake and put his worries to rest. Unfortunately, Akane never stirred in her sleep. 

"That's good, boy," Genma said, slapping his son on the shoulder. "That's the kind of concern you should show your fiancee. Your mother would be proud!" 

"Shut up, Pop," he mumbled, his eyes drooping. 

"Good morning, everyone," Dr. Tofu called, coming into the room. Fortunately, he never saw Kasumi, who was standing behind Soun and Nabiki. He glanced at Ranma, smiling. "I brought you a spare futon last night, Ranma," he said. "But you had dozed off and I didn't want to wake you." 

Ranma looked down on the floor and saw the thin futon lying beside his feet. He hadn't noticed it when he'd woken up from his short nap. 

"Why don't you bring her down, Ranma?" Dr. Tofu suggested. "I'd like to start with the tests so that we'd find out what's wrong by noon." 

Ranma nodded, stifling a yawn as he stood up. Gathering Akane in his arms, he followed the doctor out the room, down the stairs, and into the examination room. 

He laid her on the bed as Dr. Tofu said, "That'll be fine, Ranma. Go on out and wait with Akane's family. Better yet, why don't you nap a while? By the time you wake up, I'll have the results ready." 

"That's okay, doc," he replied. "I'll just go sit outside." 

He found Nabiki sitting on the couch in the waiting room, leafing through a magazine. She looked up at him as he came in. Putting the magazine aside, she smiled at him and patted the seat beside her. "Come sit beside me, Ranma. You could keep me company." 

Not wanting to argue, he plopped down beside her, clasping his hands behind his head. He closed his eyes for a moment, wanting to rest. 

"Don't worry, Ranma," Nabiki said. "She'll be fine." 

"Yeah," he replied, not turning to look at her. 

She paused. "What do you think happened to her?" The question had been nagging at her all evening, ever since Ranma came barging down carrying Akane in his arms, and a sense of dread was slowly building up inside her. 

"I wish I knew," Ranma muttered absently. "Then I wouldn't be so-" He trailed off, shooting a glance at Nabiki to see if she caught his verbal slip. 

Which, of course, she did. Nabiki smiled. "Worried?" 

He looked away, but not before Nabiki noticed his cheeks flushed with color. "Never mind." 

She patted his knee. "I appreciate your concern for my little sister. I know Akane will be, too, when she wakes up." 

Ranma snorted. "Yeah, if she isn't too busy pounding me to the pavement." 

Nabiki sighed. "You just have to learn not to provoke her, Ranma. You know she loses her temper too easily." 

She glanced at him. "And the way you shoot off your mouth doesn't help matters any, you know." 

"Yeah, it's my fault," he said bitterly. "It's always my fault, isn't it, Nabiki?" 

Nabiki opened her mouth to reply, but Ranma plunged ahead, ignoring her. "It's my fault I have Shampoo and Ukyou chasing after me. It's my fault I change into a girl. Fact is, It's my fault I got engaged to her in the first place. It's my fault I don't wanna eat her cooking. What else, Nabiki? I'm sure you could think of something." 

She chose her words carefully. "I never said that, Ranma. Akane has a hand in it, too. She jumps to conclusions too quickly without thinking things through." She shrugged. "Nobody's perfect." 

"Lemme tell you something," she began. 

Ranma laughed shortly. "No thanks. I don't have much money on me right now." 

She glared at him. "I wasn't going to charge you anything," she snapped. 

"Oh yeah?" he shot back. "Well, if there's anything I learned from living with you, it's that nothing is free, Nabiki." 

The air cracked with tension as their eyes shot daggers at each other. Finally, Nabiki sighed. "I guess I deserved that," she said softly. 

Ranma shook his head. "No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that." 

She almost smiled. "But you still think it." 

"I'm just tired, okay?" he said wearily. "I don't feel much like verbal sparring today, Nabiki." 

"I understand," she said softly. "She's my sister. I care about her, too, you know." 

They sat in silence for a few minutes until Nabiki spoke again. "Akane needs a lesson or two in patience, and so do you, Ranma." She glanced over at him. "That was what I was going to tell you." 

She smiled. "You're just too much alike, Ranma. Both too stubborn to back down." She patted his shoulder as she stood up. "Everything will be fine, don't worry," she repeated, before walking out of the room. 

Ranma leaned his head back, closing his eyes. *I hope so,* he thought. *I sure hope so.* 

**** 

They were assembled in Dr. Tofu's waiting room; Ranma, Nabiki, Genma, and Soun. The family had taken extra care to make sure the eldest Tendo daughter sat this meeting out. Kasumi had been sent home to see to lunch. 

Ranma sat alone on a chair, as Akane's family and his dad took up all the space on the long couch leaning against the wall. He hardly cared, though, as he sat staring off into space, trying to ignore the fear mounting in his heart. Something was wrong, he felt it in his gut. 

Something was very, very wrong. 

Genma and Soun were reminiscing yet another adventure on their training trip, and their boisterous laughter filled the air. Beside them, Nabiki appeared engrossed in her business magazine. 

Didn't they realize the gravity of the situation? 

Dr. Tofu came into the room, interrupting Genma in the middle of his story. Everyone looked up at the doctor's grim expression, and all good cheer fled from their faces. They waited apprehensively for him to begin. 

Ranma had taken one look at the doctor, at the frown lines marring his forehead and the grim set of his mouth, and he'd given up all hope that nothing was wrong with Akane. He'd been hoping that Tofu would tell them it was just nerves or something that caused Akane to faint. 

Ranma knew it had to be much, much worse than nerves. 

"I have good news," Dr. Tofu began. "Akane's awake. She came to a few minutes ago, and I told her to rest. She's waiting upstairs. You could see her after I give you the results of my examination." 

Ranma resisted the urge to bolt out of the room to check on Akane. He could wait a few more minutes. Dr. Tofu hadn't said anything about her condition, and Ranma took that to mean Akane's fine - for now. 

"To simplify things," he continued, "it looks like Akane was poisoned." 

"What?!" screeched half the room. Ranma just stared at Dr. Tofu, his mouth dropping open. 

Soun's eyes started to fill with tears, as Genma patted him on the back. "Listen to what the doctor has to say before you fly off the handle," he suggested. 

Dr. Tofu nodded. "She's very weak, and I barely restored her vital signs. She should be fine for a few days." 

"A few days?" Nabiki echoed. 

"Let me finish. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to identify the poison. I would have to get a sample of it, or the very least know what kind of poison it was, to be able to prescribe a cure. As I said, Akane should be fine for a few days. There's one thing I know for sure. The poison is fast-acting. She would die in less than a week if we aren't able to come up with an antidote." 

Everyone was silent now, waiting for the ax to fall. Even Soun Tendo halted his tears and stared at the doctor wide-eyed. 

Ranma was finding it harder and harder to breathe. His chest tightened painfully, and he tried gulping in bigger breaths. Akane was dying. She's dying... 

"I have a question to ask you," Dr. Tofu continued. "Would you know where she got the poison? How she was inflicted with it?" 

Everyone denied any knowledge. Dr. Tofu turned to Ranma, who hadn't moved a muscle since his announcement. "Ranma? Do you have a clue?" 

He shook his head. "I don't know," he replied stonily. 

"I mentioned the poison was fast-acting. I'm fairly certain it's been less than a day since she got it. That should be a clue. It means she was poisoned maybe yesterday afternoon, or last night. Any ideas?" 

"Akane went to the mall with Ranma yesterday," Nabiki answered. "We had dinner at home. It was her birthday." 

"Ah, yes. I remember." He turned to Ranma again. "Nothing eventful happened while you were shopping?" 

"No," he replied automatically. "I was with her the whole time. Nothing happened. It would have to be last night." 

"But she fainted right before we had dinner, remember?" Genma reminded them. 

"How _could_ she have gotten the poison, Doctor?" Nabiki asked. 

He frowned. "Oh, the usual means, I imagine. Either she digested it if it was put into her food, or entered her bloodstream directly, like a snake bite. We could try to look for puncture wounds, I guess..." 

Puncture wounds, Ranma thought. He'd been with Akane the whole afternoon, and he was sure he'd notice it if she was hurt or anything. And what could have caused puncture wounds? It was highly unlikely that someone injected her with the poison using a syringe. He'd notice if she got a cut or something if a blade had been used. 

They'd come straight home from the mall, he recalled. Akane had gone to get a snack from Kasumi, as Ranma had slipped out to get her present. When he came back, she'd been in her room, wearing the blue dress. He'd even helped her put on the necklace, and had commented on how it matched the pin on the dress... 

Ranma's head snapped up. "The pin!" 

Everyone turned to look at him. 

His heartbeat thundered in his ears as he stood up. "It had to have been the pin," he said. "There wasn't anything else!" 

"What are you talking about, Ranma?" 

"She was wearing a blue brooch," he explained breathlessly. "She told me she found the dress on her table, and she thought it was from me. The pin came with the dress. It must have been that brooch!" 

Nabiki picked up an overnight bag beside her feet, and pulled out a blue silk dress. "We dressed her in pajamas before Dr. Tofu began his tests." 

She carefully unclasped the brooch, taking care she won't prick herself. Handing it over to the doctor, she said, "Careful, Dr. Tofu." 

The doctor nodded as he took the brooch and peered at it closely. "Yes, this could have been the medium used," he mused. "We'll know for sure after I examine it." He looked up. "This could take some time. Why don't you go in and see Akane now?" 

Not needing a second invitation, Ranma quickly left the room. Genma managed a small smile despite the shock from the news they'd received. "At least he's showing concern for his fiancee," he remarked to Soun. 

Ranma took the steps two at a time, breathless by the time he paused outside Akane's door. Rapping his knuckles on the wooden door, he hesitated only a second before pushing it open, concern for her overriding any other emotion. 

Akane looked up as he entered. Ranma slowly made his way to her, his eyes quickly noting the paleness of her complexion. 

He stopped just beside her bed, standing over her. "Hi," he mumbled. 

She was plucking her sheets with restless fingers. "Ranma," she whispered, closing her eyes. He winced at the defeated expression on her face - so different from the strong-willed, free-spirited girl he'd known. 

He pulled a chair over and sat beside her bed. "Everything's going to be fine, Akane," he assured her. "Don't worry." 

"Don't lie to me, Ranma," she answered, turning her head away. 

He reached out to grasp her hand warmly. Akane turned her head to look at him. 

"Everything will be fine," he repeated. "We'll find your cure. Trust me." 

She nodded weakly, tears sliding down her cheeks. "I trust you." 

"Good," he whispered, raising a hand to wipe the tears away. "Dr. Tofu will identify the poison soon. Then we'll get your antidote. How do you feel?" 

"Tired," she answered. "And cold." 

He stood up, moving to tuck the blankets in around her. "You want to ask Kasumi to bring you some warmer clothes?" he suggested. 

"I'll ask Kasumi to pack you some sweaters, Akane," Nabiki's voice called. Ranma turned, seeing her standing in the doorway. 

"Are you going to need anything else?" she asked. 

Akane shook her head. "No thanks, oneechan." 

"Akane!" Soun rushed to his youngest daughter's side, grasping her hand. "My poor baby!" he cried. 

"I'm fine, Dad," she said. "Don't worry." 

"It's good you're feeling optimistic," Nabiki said. She flashed her sister a brief smile. "Just stay here and rest, and we'll take care of everything." 

"It's almost time for lunch," Genma reminded them. "Why don't we all come back after lunch?" 

"That'll be fine, everyone," Dr. Tofu said, coming in. He smiled at Akane. "I'd have the test results ready a little after lunch. And don't worry about Akane. I'll keep her company." 

"Let's go then," Genma said cheerfully. "I'm hungry." 

"I'm staying." 

They all turned to Ranma, who hadn't moved from his seat beside Akane. "I'm staying here," he repeated. 

Tofu smiled. "Then I'll bring some food up for you two later, Ranma." 

He smiled his thanks. "Arigato." 

"I'm proud of you, son!" Genma said. "Your mother will be too, as soon as she hears of this. I-" 

"Oh, my daughter is so lucky to have such a caring fiancee," Soun sobbed. 

Nabiki rolled her eyes as Genma nudged Soun out the door. "Let's go have lunch, Tendo," he suggested eagerly. 

"Don't worry about anything, Akane," Nabiki reminded her. Lifting her hand in a small wave, she started to close the door behind her. "We'll be back after lunch." 

Dr. Tofu smiled as the door shut closed. "You're lucky to have such a caring family, Akane." 

She returned his smile, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "I know." 

"I have a question for you, Akane," Dr. Tofu said. He held up a blue brooch in his hand. "Do you recognize this?" 

Akane's eyes were drooping, and she blinked several times. "I'm sorry, I didn't hear you." 

Dr. Tofu repeated his question, coming near her to give her a closer look at the brooch. 

"Isn't that my blue pin?" she asked. 

"Where did you get the pin, Akane?" Ranma asked. 

She stifled a yawn. "I told you, Ranma. I found it on the dress." 

"It was pinned on the dress?" 

"Yes. Why?" She looked at Ranma, then at Dr. Tofu. "What's wrong?" 

"Tell us what happened since you found the brooch, Akane," Dr. Tofu told her. 

"But I don't understand - " 

"Just do what the doctor says, Akane," Ranma prodded. 

She sighed. "We'd seen the dress at the mall, and I'd mentioned how much I liked it. When I went in my room after my bath, there it was in a box wrapped in bright paper. Naturally, I assumed it was from Ranma." 

"I forgot to ask you, why did you think that?" Ranma asked. 

She glared at him. "Well, you were the only one who hadn't given me a present yet, and especially after I opened the box and saw the dress, I was so sure it was from you." 

"There was no tag on the package?" 

Akane frowned. "Oh, yes. But only my name was written on the tag." She raised her brows. "Maybe it was supposed to be a surprise?" she speculated. 

"It sure was," Ranma muttered. 

"What did you say?" 

"Go on with your story, Akane," Dr. Tofu requested. "Then what happened?" 

"I tried on the dress," she replied. "Just after I put it on, Ranma came in, and he gave me his gift. I really thought the dress was from him. I guess I should have thought -" 

"When did you put the brooch on, Akane?" Dr. Tofu interrupted. 

She blinked. "The brooch? It was left unclasped, and when I put the dress on, I -" 

"You pricked yourself?" Ranma shouted, leaping up from his chair. 

She shot him a dirty look. "Don't yell at me," she snapped. 

Ranma glared down at her. "How can you be so stupid?" he demanded. 

"What did you say?" Akane tried to sit up on bed, doubling up her fist. The sudden movement, however, launched another series of pounding in her head, and she cried out in agony. 

Ranma was beside her in an instant, sitting on the edge of her bed. His fingers brushed away the perspiration on her brow, and the twin drops of tears leaking out the corner of her closed eyes. "Now look what you've done to yourself," he said quietly. 

She opened her eyes, found herself staring straight into Ranma's penetrating gaze. "I don't understand," she whispered. 

"That clears things up, then," Dr. Tofu remarked. Seeing Akane's puzzled frown, he repeated his explanation. "We'll find out soon enough if it was really the brooch which contained the poison. We'll need the tests to confirm, but I'm sure it's the pin." 

He smiled at her reassuringly. "Just rest a while and don't worry about anything. I'll be back later with your lunch." 

"I'm not hungry," Akane said softly. 

"Whether you like it or not, you're gonna eat something," Ranma told her. "I'll stay here and make sure you do." 

Dr. Tofu smiled. "You do that, Ranma." Turning, he walked towards the door. "I'll leave you two alone now." 

Ranma sat back down on the chair, watching Akane. She'd closed her eyes and sighed heavily. A few minutes of total silence passed, and Ranma thought she'd fallen asleep. 

He was getting drowsy himself, weariness starting to catch up with him. He leaned his head back, intending to take a short nap. 

Just as he was drifting off, however, he heard a soft sniffle, accompanied by a rustling of the sheets as Akane tossed restlessly in her bed. He opened one eye to look at her. 

Her back was to him, her body curled like a tightly coiled spring. For a moment Ranma thought she was still asleep, until he noticed her thin shoulders shaking. A soft sob filled the air, and he stiffened. 

*Aw, man,* he thought. *She's ... crying?* 

Walking over to the other side of the bed, he crouched down on all fours to peer closely at her face. Her cheeks were wet with tears leaking out of her tightly closed eyes. Her lips trembled, and her whole body shook as she tried to contain her sobs. 

She felt his fingers on her face, his touch as light as a feather. His hands wiped away the wetness on her cheeks as his voice soothed her like a cool breeze. "Um...Akane?" he said. 

She opened her eyes, found him staring down at her, his eyes vivid blue pools filled with concern. "Uh...are you okay?" he asked stupidly. 

"I'm scared, Ranma," she whispered. 

He winced. "Aw, jeez, Akane. Nothing's gonna happen to you. We'll find your cure, and everything would be back to normal. Don't worry." 

"My head hurts," she said, tears coming to her eyes. "I feel so weak." 

Ranma felt his chest tighten with pain at her words. He *hated* seeing her hurt... but somehow, the defeated expression in her eyes made him feel even worse. 

"Don't give up yet, Akane," he told her, taking her hand. "I haven't. Please, don't give up." 

She bit her lip, averting her gaze. Undaunted, Ranma went on. "Remember what we talked about last night?" 

Akane looked back at him, puzzled. "What?" 

"When I asked you if you wanted to break our engagement, you told me, you knew that I'd always be here for you, that I'd always protect you." He smiled down at her. "Remember, Akane?" 

She nodded weakly. "I remember." 

"Well, I'm here now, Akane." He clasped her hand warmly. "And I'll always be here. I won't let anything happen to you." 

"Ranma..." Her fingers curled around his hand as she raised eyes glistening with unshed tears to his. She swallowed audibly. "Thank you." 

"No more tears, Akane," he told her. "Just rest. I'll wake you when they come back." He began to withdraw his hand, intending to grab a chair and sit down. He was surprised when her fingers tightened on his hand. 

"Don't go," she whispered, clutching his hand. "I'm afraid." 

"I'm not leaving," he assured her. "I'll stay right here." 

"Thank you." Breathing easy for the first time in the day, she closed her eyes and sighed softly. 

Ranma watched her anxiously, breathing a sigh of relief when her chest started to rise and fall in an easy rhythm as she drifted off to sleep. 

*Was that so hard,* he asked himself, *letting her know how I really feel?* It wasn't hard at all. It was almost painfully easy, to lower his defenses and let her know the truth of his feelings for once. The profound happiness in her eyes, though clouded with pain, made his decision feel even more right. 

But letting down his guard made him feel vulnerable, as if he'd been left out to the harsh elements of nature without clothing or shelter. He'd lived so long keeping his feelings tightly guarded. No one could touch him, but then again, no one could hurt him, either. 

But then, he'd never had someone like Akane, who could make his spirit soar with happiness with her smile. No one could evoke such strong feelings in him like Akane did. Until Akane, he'd never before felt this strong urge with anyone, to stay beside her, and make her happy for the rest of his life. 

*I love her,* he thought, looking at Akane tenderly. *And I'll do this for her. Take a shot at love, and if she lets me, maybe someday I'll be happy.*   
  
  


*** End CHAPTER 2 *** 

   [1]: mailto:stiffanie@mailcity.com
   [2]: http://www.angelfire.com/sd/Ranmafanfic/index.html



	3. Lost Hope

Waiting For You   
A Ranma 1/2 Fanfic By [Stiffanie Flores][1] Homepage: [Ranma Fanfiction by Stiffanie ][2]

Disclaimer : Ranma 1/2 and all characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi. This fanfic is written for enjoyment and self-fulfillment purposes only. 

Chapter 3:  
Lost Hope   
  
If I die tonight   
I'd go with no regrets   
If it's in your arms   
I'd know that I was blessed   
And if your eyes   
Are the last thing that I see   
Then I'd know the beauty   
Heaven holds for me   
  
And if I make it through   
If I live to see the day   
If I'm with you   
I'd know just what to say   
The truth be told   
You take my breath away   
Every minute, every second   
Every day...   
  


- Moments 

- by WESTLIFE 
  
  


"The good news is that we're able to identify the poison," Dr. Tofu was saying. "The tests only confirmed my suspicions. She has a few days, a week at the most. The poison was more fast-acting than I'd expected." 

They were gathered downstairs, all present except Akane and Kasumi. The eldest Tendo daughter had stayed home to see to her chores, much to the relief of everyone. Kasumi, with her sweet smile and gentle words, was the heart of her family. They couldn't imagine how they could go on without her. But there were times when it was actually better that Kasumi stayed away. The family was afraid Tofu would lose himself at the sight of her, and that might delay Akane's recovery. 

When Dr. Tofu had come up to summon him to his office, saying that the rest of the family was already waiting downstairs, Akane had been deep in slumber, for which Ranma had been very thankful. He hadn't wanted Akane to be present during the meeting, not wanting her to be distressed when she heard the results of the tests. For some reason, he wanted to shield her from the ugly truth of reality. 

"One week?" Nabiki repeated incredulously. 

Dr. Tofu nodded sadly. "I'm afraid I have worse news," he continued. "In the medical field, there is currently no cure available for the poison." 

The small room erupted in chaos. Ranma shot up from his seat, proclaiming his disbelief and denial in a bellow of rage that made Dr. Tofu flinch in surprise. Nabiki's lips thinned, but aside from that, she displayed no outward reaction. Genma was quite speechless, and sat still on his chair looking worriedly at his old friend. 

Soun Tendo sat like a statue, rendered immobile by Dr. Tofu's announcement. His eyes remained dry, and in his eyes resided a sort of icy calm that was frightening to see. 

"It's happening again," he whispered numbly. "First my dear wife, now my baby..." 

"You okay, Tendo?" Genma asked tentatively. 

"Can't you do something, Dr. Tofu?" Ranma demanded. 

"You'd be the first to know if I discovered something, Ranma," Tofu answered. "I'm sorry, but I truly can't help you." 

He frowned. "This poison very different from the ones I've encountered before. It entered Akane's bloodstream directly, which is the reason why it spread so rapidly." 

He looked at the gathered family regretfully, carefully refraining to make contact with Ranma's eyes. "Her reaction to the poison is perfectly normal. She feels unusually tired and weak. She would have frequent bouts of high fever, but we could do something to stabilize her body temperature. She would drift in and out of consciousness, and later, she would probably have trouble breathing, and her body won't be able to accept solid food. I expect she'd be in a coma for the last couple of days." 

He bowed his head. "I'm truly sorry." 

A hand gripped his shoulder, whipping him around. Dr. Tofu blinked, finding himself the object of Ranma's demanding blue-grey eyes. In the back of his mind, he marveled at Ranma's skill. He hadn't even sensed the younger man come up behind him. 

"Don't do this, Ranma," he told him, recovering his wits. "I really can't do anything." 

"But you've always found a way before," Ranma insisted. "I'm sure you could think of something. Anything!" 

"By no means am I stopping here, Ranma," he assured him. "I'm going to call some colleagues, ask for help. But as of now, I haven't found anything which can help us." He shook his head. "Even my sensei's books hardly contain any information about the poison." 

"The thing is," he added, "no one has ever discovered an antidote to the poison. Some might have tried to, of course, but the formula of the antidote has yet to be recorded. The problem is that this kind of poison is very rare. I haven't seen proof of its existence myself until now." 

"Why is that?" Nabiki asked, her brows knitted in speculation. "Aren't all poisons supposed to be recorded, Dr. Tofu?" 

He nodded. "That's right. However, although this poison has been identified, no cure has ever been discovered. We don't know enough about the nature of the poison, and without that, it is difficult to formulate an antidote." 

He shook his head. "I'm afraid we're pretty helpless. I cannot try to formulate some kind of antidote for her, since we don't know the full specifics of the poison. If we're wrong, it could be fatal. I don't want to risk it." 

"You mean we can't do anything?" Ranma demanded. 

"Until I can find someone who can help us, I'm afraid not." He tried to smile at the younger man. "I'll get on to work right away calling some colleagues," he assured the family. "I'll let you know the moment I find something." 

Ranma never heard the last of his words. Terror like none other filling his heart, he dashed out of the room. Suddenly, he was driven by an overwhelming desire to see her, to be with her - even though he couldn't do anything to help her, he had to see her, just to ease the throbbing pain in his gut... 

He threw open the door to Akane's room. She looked up, relaxing as she saw it was him. "You're here," she said softly. 

He took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves. He hoped the sound of his heart thumping madly wasn't loud enough for Akane to hear. 

"How are you feeling, Akane?" He made his way across the room, peering at her closely. 

"Any news from Dr. Tofu, Ranma?" Akane asked. 

*Damn,* he thought. *She just had to bring that up.* 

"He's identified the poison with the brooch. That's a good start." 

"And?" she prodded when Ranma paused, her voice wavering. 

"And we're going to start looking for the cure. Don't worry, Akane," he hurried when he saw her stricken expression, "Dr. Tofu is sure we'll be able to find the antidote." 

She bit her lip, averting her gaze. "That's good," she murmured. 

*Liar,* she thought. *Can't even cover it up well. I can see right through you, baka.* 

Ranma looked at her anxiously. "Akane?" 

She nodded feebly. "I'm fine. Don't worry." 

Ranma sat down beside her. "You sure? I could go down and get Dr. Tofu -" 

"Why are you being so nice to me, Ranma?" she asked softly. 

He blinked. "Uh..." Where did that thought come from? 

"I don't know what to think of you anymore," she began, haltingly at first. "Here you are, looking so concerned and worried. Every time I wake up, I see you sitting beside me, hovering over me. You've been so nice, Ranma, and-" 

Ranma stared at her, speechless. 

Akane shifted her gaze, looking far away. "Things between us have always been confusing," she said, almost to herself. "Every day, it's the same routine, the same insults, the same stupid fights. Even if we try to make up for it, things just end up getting worse." 

"Ranma," she said, turning to him, "will it always have to be like this between us?" A tear rolled down the side of her cheek. "Will I ever know?" 

His breath caught in his throat. "Akane -" He reached out, wrapping both of his hands around hers. 

She saw him tremble softly, saw his eyes cloud with sorrow. "Don't talk like that," he pleaded. "Please, Akane. Don't give up." 

"We'll find your cure," he insisted. "Believe me, Akane. We'll find the antidote, and you'll be okay again. And -" 

He paused, drawing a shuddering breath. "Don't give up," he whispered hoarsely, his voice thick with emotion. "Please." 

"Ranma - " 

He felt her fingers touch his chin, and ever so gently, she tipped his face up to meet his gaze. 

Akane was sitting up on the bed, her head leaning against the bed frame. She tried to smile through her tears, ignoring the sharp pain shooting through her body from her sudden movement. "I'm not giving up. I promise." 

He gripped her hand tighter. "I'll get your cure, Akane, okay? Believe me. I won't let anything happen to you." 

She nodded weakly. "I know." 

Ranma tried to smile at her reassuringly, gripping her hand tighter. Suddenly, he frowned. "Why is your hand so cold?" 

She shivered slightly. Seeing her, Ranma got up to pull the covers up to her chin. "Still cold?" he asked quietly. "Stupid tomboy, why didn't you say anything?" He winced. "Uh..." 

Too weak to argue, she closed her eyes, clutching the blankets closer to her body. "Don't start, Ranma," she said softly, her lips quivering slightly. 

"Uh...sorry." He sat down on the bed beside her, covering her fingers with his hand. 

"Your hand is so warm, Ranma," Akane whispered, her voice barely audible. 

Without another word, Ranma withdrew his hand, leaving Akane's fingers twitching nervously at the loss. Hesitantly, he looped his left arm behind her neck, allowing her head to rest against his shoulder. He moved closer, swinging his legs up on the bed. Wrapping his other arm around her slim waist, he pulled her closer to him, feeling her light weight leaning against his body. 

Akane shifted against him, turning her head so that the side of her face rested upon his shoulders. A soft sigh of pleasure escaped her lips, as the warmth from his body eased away the cold. 

The intoxicating feel of his nearness, along with the heat seeping into her body, drugged her senses, as a soft smile touched her lips. "This feels nice, Ranma," she whispered, her breath warm on his neck. 

"Good," he replied, a faint blush coloring his cheeks. He could feel the gentle rise and fall of her chest as she leaned against him, and he relaxed. 

"Akane," he began awkwardly, "I wanted to tell you, I'm sorry - for all the rude things I've said..." 

"Don't leave me, Ranma," she breathed, as though she hadn't heard him. "I'm not afraid, when you're here." She gripped Ranma's hand, which rested on her waist. "Please stay..." 

"I'll stay right here," he promised, squeezing her hand warmly. "Don't worry." 

"Thank you..." 

There was an awkward silence for a while. Ranma, for his part, was nervously glancing at the door. He should get up and move away, he knew. If someone were to come into the room right now and see him lying with Akane, he would surely be in a lot of trouble. Especially if it turned out to be Kunou or Ryouga. Or Nabiki with her camera. Ranma suppressed a shudder. She would suck him dry, blood and all. 

"Ranma?" 

Ranma looked down at her. "Hmm?" 

She lay motionless against him, her eyes closed, long lashes dark against her pale skin, her mouth parted slightly. If he hadn't heard her speak just now, he'd have thought she was asleep. 

"It's ... nice, to be with you... like this," she whispered. "Just the two of us alone, without anyone else to get in the way..." 

Ranma smiled. "We've been alone together lots of times, Akane," he told her. 

"Yeah... But never like this." 

"Like what?" 

Ranma saw her cheeks flush with color. "Like you're holding me now, baka," she said, but without the usual force behind the insults. 

Ranma gazed into space for a while, remembering a time when he'd reached out his hand, as he stood quivering with uncertainty, waiting for Akane to react. To his relief and surprise, she'd taken his hand, and clasped it warmly, and he'd never been as happy, as content, as he'd been at that moment... 

No rivals around trying to kill him, or any of his other fiancees fighting each other for his attention... The moment was perfect, and he'd wanted so much to tell her how he felt for her, and he'd tried so hard, wishing that for once, he could let her know... 

"Are you angry, Akane? About the other girls?" he blurted out. Then, he blinked, surprised at his own question. 

She stiffened against him. "Why are you asking?" 

He laughed shortly. "To tell the truth, I don't know. I surprised myself asking the question. But I've been thinking of this a long time, Akane, and - you always seem so angry about it." 

She hesitated before answering. "I guess... Does it matter?" 

He tried to smile. "Who ever said I wanted to be on the receiving end of your wrath, Akane?" he tried to joke. 

"I'm not angry at you, Ranma. Well, at least not all the time. Most of the time, I'm just angry the other girls are always making trouble for us, wrecking the house, or bring trouble with them when their enemies hunt them down and we somehow get caught up in it..." 

She sighed. "I'm tired, Ranma. It's been fun and great workout and all that, but I'm tired. I wish things would settle back to normal again. I wish I could go to school without being on my guard for a surprise attack from some lavender-haired Amazon..." 

She trailed off, and both of them were quiet for a while. 

"I'm...sorry, Akane," Ranma began hesitantly. "I should have...I - " 

He laughed shortly. "It's not just that, is it? There's Ryouga and Mousse and Kunou attacking me every day. And there are those weird princes and monsters who pop out of the woodwork to challenge me, and..." 

He dragged a hand through his hair. "Damn. I'm sorry, Akane. For all the trouble I bring. You've been attacked and kidnapped and almost killed, and it's all my fault. I'll bet even this time you're poisoned, it's somehow my fault, too." 

"Ranma..." She took his hand and squeezed it warmly. Ranma closed his eyes and turned away. 

"Ranma, look at me," she commanded in a soft voice. Hesitantly, Ranma looked down at her. 

Her lips quivered with a tremulous smile. "I have never, _ever_ blamed you for the chaos in our lives, Ranma. Please don't think that." 

"Akane..." 

She frowned. "Okay, I might have blamed you once or twice. I forgot. But I want you to know right now, I don't hold you responsible for anything. You're a trouble magnet, Ranma, almost as much as you attract water." 

She smiled, and gave his hand another warm squeeze. "Even if all that was somehow your fault, whenever I get in trouble, you're always the first one to come to my rescue. That means a lot. Really." 

Ranma's heart trembled in his chest. Here she was, lying in a hospital bed, teetering at death's door, and still she tried to comfort him, soothe his guilty conscience. Even as they both knew, it had to be Ranma's enemy - someone he'd insulted, or defeated, or offended - who'd poisoned Akane, still, she sought to make him feel better, even as she herself was in much worse condition... 

*Aww, Akane,* he thought, as he stared into her wide brown eyes, *why do you make it so damned _easy_ for me to love you?* 

**** 

Nabiki sat back on the couch, flipping through the pages of her magazine listlessly. She was fooling herself, she knew. There was no way she could concentrate on the latest news in the stock market when her sister had only a few more days to live... 

She frowned. Speaking of which... Who had poisoned Akane? Why take such a subtle approach? If whoever it was wanted her dead, why not kill her using a more direct tactic? 

She was tempted to think it was one of Ranma's other fiancees. After all, Kunou or Ryouga would never harm Akane. Mousse? She frowned. Mousse was a possibility. After all, didn't he once try to turn Akane into a duck? But then again, killing Akane would mean eliminating an obstacle to winning Ranma, and that seemed more like Shampoo's style rather than Mousse's... 

The door to the clinic burst open. "Father! Father, look at this. I got it in today's mail!" 

Nabiki looked up, startled, as Kasumi rushed into the room, waving a sheet of paper in her hand. Beads of perspiration trickled down her neck, her face was flushed red, and she was breathing heavily, indicating that she'd run all the way from home. A few strands of hair escaped her neat ponytail, hanging limply against her face. The sight of her stricken face was enough to send everyone into a panicked frenzy. 

Soun, seated beside Nabiki, reached for the sheet of paper Kasumi held out, his eyes quickly scanning the few words scrawled on the page. His eyes widened, and he started to tremble. 

"What is it, Daddy?" Without waiting for an answer, Nabiki snatched the paper out of her father's hands. "What the hell?" she shouted after a minute.   
  


The poison is called "Chueh wang" (Hopelessness).   
There is a certain man in Japan who has been able to formulate   
the antidote before. This man lives in the mountains a few   
miles north of Ryugenzawa. The map shows the exact location.   
Tendo Akane will die on the third day without proper treatment. 

The note was unsigned. 

Nabiki frowned. It was too suspicious. Akane suddenly getting poisoned, then this mysterious letter. Who could have sent it? 

And more importantly, whoever the sender is, was he telling the truth? 

"This is good news, Tendo," Genma said, slapping his friend's back. 

"We should show this to Dr. Tofu," Kasumi suggested. "He might know something about the poison now that it's been identified." 

"What's that commotion about?" Tofu came into the waiting room, and there was a collective sigh of exasperation. Kasumi merely looked up, a smile lighting up her face. 

It was quite predictable, really. Tofu glanced at Kasumi, and he jumped as if electrocuted. A silly grin spread across his face. "K-K-Kasumi!" he yelped. "What an amazing coincidence to see you here, of all places!" 

"Quickly!" Nabiki hissed to Genma, as Tofu started to giggle hysterically. "Get Kasumi and go!" 

Genma nodded and stood up. "Kasumi, dear, I'm beginning to get quite hungry. Do you think you could fix me some of that leftover sukiyaki we had for lunch? It was quite tasty, and I'm hungry for more." 

Kasumi glanced uncertainly at Genma. "Why, of course, uncle Genma. But -" 

"We'll take care of things here, onee-chan," Nabiki said. She glanced at her father, who was sitting beside her silently. "In fact, Daddy must be quite hungry, too. He didn't eat much during lunch. Why don't you go home with Kasumi, Daddy?" She gave her father a push. 

Genma grabbed Soun's elbow and pulled his friend to his feet. "Come on, Tendo. Surely I can engage you in a game of shogi? You have to beat me yet, you know..." 

Genma half dragged Soun out the door, and Kasumi followed behind them, after looking at Nabiki anxiously. 

Nabiki waved them off. "Don't worry, sis." 

"Look, Betty-chan, Kasumi's come to see us again..." Tofu chattered mindlessly. 

Nabiki sighed and stood up. She slapped the back of her hand against Tofu's face. "Snap out of it, doc," she ordered. 

Tofu glanced down at her. "Nabiki! What are you doing here? Don't tell me you have an injury too? Why, with Ranma around, everyone seems to..." 

"Doctor!" Nabiki snapped, tapping his face harder. "I have something to show you!" 

Tofu's eyes began to clear. The grin wiped off his face, he gazed at her seriously. "What is it, Nabiki?" 

She handed him the piece of paper. Tofu glanced at it briefly, then brought his gaze back at Nabiki. 

"What do you think, doc?" Nabiki asked quietly. 

Tofu's eyes were thoughtful. "It's the best lead we've got. We should try." He smiled at her. "Shall we tell Ranma and Akane?" 

Nabiki nodded. "Let's go." 

**** 

Ranma was staring at her so intently, Akane felt as if she would drown in the blue-grey depths of his eyes. Her breath caught in her throat, and she started to reach up a hand to touch his face... 

The door creaked open, and both of them jumped nervously, heads turning in perfect synchrony. 

Nabiki and Tofu stood at the open doorway. Her sister, Akane noted, was smirking, her eyes glinting. Tofu simply stared at them impassively, except for a small smile that played at his lips. 

Ranma straightened and pulled away, stammering. "It's not what you think! We were just ... I mean, uh..." 

Nabiki grinned. "Relax, Ranma. We have something for you." She raised her brows at him. "We can talk about what to do about this... compromising situation later." 

"Nabiki!" Akane burst out. 

Her sister laughed. "Jeez, Akane, can't you take a joke?" 

Akane glanced at Ranma, who'd gotten out of her bed and was shifting uncomfortably on his feet. "Obviously, he can't." 

Nabiki gave him an even look, and she sobered. "Okay, down to business. I have something to show you." She handed Ranma a piece of paper. "See what you think of this." 

Ranma's eyes flew over the short page. He glared up at Nabiki. "Why didn't you hand this over in the first place?" 

Nabiki smirked. "Thought I'd watch you squirm for a while first." 

"What is it?" Akane asked. 

Ranma handed her the note. "Can we trust this?" he asked Nabiki. 

She shrugged. "You got me. What do you think?" 

Ranma took a deep breath. "We have to try," he said resolutely. He glanced at his fiancee. "Akane?" 

She looked up, and Ranma was surprised to see her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "What is it?" he asked worriedly, sitting beside her. 

Her lips trembled. "You're going?" she whispered. 

He nodded. "Of course I am. Who else is there to come to your rescue, baka?" he teased. 

Akane sniffled and said nothing. Nabiki nodded. "What are your plans?" she asked. 

Ranma looked up. "I have to go home and get a few things. Then I'll be on my way."   
  
  


*** End CHAPTER 3 *** 

   [1]: mailto:stiffanie@mailcity.com
   [2]: http://www.angelfire.com/sd/Ranmafanfic/index.html



	4. Journey

Waiting For You   
A Ranma 1/2 Fanfic By [Stiffanie Flores][1] Homepage: [Ranma Fanfiction by Stiffanie ][2]

Disclaimer : Ranma 1/2 and all characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi. This fanfic is written for enjoyment and self-fulfillment purposes only. 

Chapter 4:  
Journey   
  


"I'm going," Ranma announced to the Tendos. "The instructions are clear enough. It shouldn't be too hard to track this man down." 

Nabiki leaned back on the couch, frowning. "You're going by yourself, Ranma? Are you sure?" 

He looked over at her. "Worried about me, Nabiki?" he teased her. 

Nabiki snorted indelicately. "You can take care of yourself, big boy." 

Ranma nodded. "Sure I can. Besides, I don't think there's anyone else here who's up to it." 

"I am." 

Ranma turned at the sound of the voice. Ryouga stood on the patio, a grim smile on his face. "I will be glad to be of service," he said. 

Catching the suspicious glint in Nabiki's eyes, he looked at her apologetically. "I'm sorry, the door was open, and I let myself in to look for Ak...er, Ranma, and I - uh, overheard your conversation." 

Nabiki shook her head. "It's fine, Ryouga. We could use your help." She raised her brows at Ranma. "If you could put aside your little rivalry for a few days." 

Ranma nodded. "That's fine with me." He glanced at the bandanna-clad boy. "Thanks, Ryouga." 

Ryouga snorted. "I'm doing this for Akane, not you." 

"I know." Standing up, he turned to leave the room. "Wait here," he told him. "I'll go and pack a few clothes, and we'll be on our way." 

Ryouga started to sit down, unstrapping his backpack. Ranma's voice came back to taunt him. 

"Oh, and Pig-Boy? When we leave, be sure to hold onto my arm real tight so you don't get lost, okay?" 

Ryouga flushed. "Ranmaaaaa!" He started to stand up, his hand automatically reaching for his umbrella. 

Ranma laughed as he slapped Ryouga on the back. "Just kidding, man," he said, still smirking. 

Glaring at Ranma's retreating back, Ryouga took a deep breath, visibly struggling to keep his temper in check. He resumed his seat. *Don't kill him yet,* he told himself. *Your revenge can wait. Think of Akane.* 

"Tea, Ryouga?" Kasumi's musical voice called from beside him. Ryouga opened his eyes and smiled up at her. 

"Thank you, Kasumi-san," he said as she filled his cup. 

She shook her head. "We are in your debt, Ryouga-kun. Thank you for helping us." 

Ryouga reddened. "It's okay, really. I'm glad I can help." 

"Still," Nabiki drawled, "it would help to have someone go with Ranma. He hasn't been himself lately, worrying so much over Akane." 

Ryouga looked up, his eyes shadowed under dark bangs. "I see." He stood up abruptly. "Excuse me, I'll look for Ranma." 

The sisters watched him leave with varying expressions. Kasumi, with gentle understanding; Nabiki, a calculating gleam in her eyes. 

"He cares for her too, you know," Kasumi said quietly. 

Nabiki nodded. "Hopeless guy," she muttered. 

"Why is that, Nabiki?" 

She almost smiled. "I think it's obvious whom our dear sister's heart longs for, isn't it?" 

Kasumi tilted her head thoughtfully. "True." 

The front door of the house slid open. Both girls turned at the sound. 

"Hello?" a voice called out. "Ranchan?" 

Kasumi got up to greet their unexpected visitor, as Nabiki suppressed the impulse to groan. *Here we go again...* 

**** 

Ranma sat on the floor in his room, pulling open the bottom drawer of his dresser. Grabbing a couple of Chinese shirts, he stuffed them into his backpack. As he pulled out a pair of black pants, a sheet of paper dropped onto his lap, and he picked it up, his mouth curving into a small smile. 

It was a photograph of Akane, one he'd snatched from Kunou along with other pictures of Akane and "the pigtailed girl". He'd returned the other pictures to Akane, but he'd kept this one, not telling her about it. 

In the photograph, Akane was wearing her favorite yellow dress. Totally unaware she was being spied on, she was looking over her shoulder, her face wreathed in a warm, unaffected smile, her brown eyes sparkling with life. Sunlight caught the highlights in her hair as it swayed in the gentle breeze. Whoever had taken this candid shot, Ranma thought he'd captured Akane's best on film. 

Ranma's smile faded as he gazed into her face. "I want to see you like this, Akane," he whispered, gently tracing the curve of her lips with his finger. "I want to see you smile again. I'll do everything I can. I promise." 

The door slid open behind him, and he hurriedly tucked the picture inside his shirt. "Just a sec, Ryouga," he called without turning around. "Jeez, don't be so impatient. I'm almost done." 

"It's me, Ranchan," a soft voice replied, much to his surprise. 

Ranma turned slowly. Ukyou was standing just inside the room, hands clasped in front of her, looking down at him. 

*Oh, man,* he groaned inwardly. *I don't want to deal with this right now.* 

He'd spoken to her only once, the day after the aborted wedding. He'd been in a terrible mood, after being scorched by Shampoo and Ukyou's bombs, and having the Nannichuan drunk by Happosai thinking it was sake. Then Ukyou had come, demanding if he really would marry Akane if they hadn't interfered. Already in a sour mood, he'd said some pretty harsh words about how disappointed he was in her that she would stoop to something normally only Shampoo would do, about how he could ever trust her again after that... 

Ukyou had avoided him after that, and the next day Ranma came by her shop to see her, Konatsu had informed him that Ukyou wasn't feeling well so they'd closed the shop. And soon after, Ranma became too preoccupied with getting a nice present for Akane's birthday that he hadn't paid much attention to Ukyou. And after that... 

"Hey, Ucchan," he answered in an even tone. "What are you doing here?" 

"I - um - heard about Akane." 

Ranma looked away. He wasn't looking forward to this. "Yeah," he mumbled, not knowing what else to say. 

Ukyou grabbed his right shoulder. "Do you have to do this?" she demanded. 

He winced. "You know I do, Ucchan. Akane needs me." He stood abruptly. "I have to get going." 

Ukyou stepped forward, the concern evident in her eyes. "I'm worried, Ranchan," she whispered. 

"I'll be fine. Ryouga's coming with me. And I'll be back as soon as I get Akane's cure." 

"Always Akane," she said, so softly that Ranma almost didn't hear her. Almost. She raised her eyes to his. He hurriedly tore his gaze away, not wishing to see the pain and resentment in her eyes. 

"What about me?" she cried tearfully. 

"Ucchan..." Ranma struggled to find the right words. "She's my fiancee." 

"What about me?" she repeated. "I'm your fiancee too! Why do I always have to be second in line?" 

"Ucchan, now isn't the -" 

"It's true, isn't it?" she insisted. "I'm also your fiancee, just like her. But *her* claim holds precedence over mine. I don't hit you or insult you like *she* does, but when it comes down to it, you chose *her* instead of me." 

He turned away from her to grab his backpack. "I already told you, the wedding wasn't our idea. I didn't even know about it until it was too late!" 

"Then why were you so angry when we tried to stop you from marrying her?" 

He whipped around to face her. "Because, it's *my* choice! No one's going to tell me what to do. It's still *my* life, and I get to choose what I want to do with it!" 

Her eyes started to fill with tears. "But you were really going to marry her," she said softly. 

She raised her eyes to his. "Why her, Ranchan?" she whispered. "Why Akane? Why not me?" 

Ranma stiffened at the resentment in Ukyou's voice as she spoke Akane's name. He looked at her a moment before answering. "What's wrong with Akane, Ucchan?" he asked quietly. "At least she doesn't resort to using potions and magic to make me marry her. At least she's never tried to kill me, or blackmail me, or sell me off to someone." 

He turned his back to her, leaning down to grab his backpack. With more care than the task required, he slowly strapped it to his shoulders. Ukyou slowly got to her feet, staring at him, her mouth agape. 

He turned around, boring his gaze into hers. "Did you know that she agreed to marry me so that her father would give me the Nannichuan water, so that I'd be cured?" 

Ranma watched as she shook her head mutely. A part of his mind told him to shut up, that he'd said enough. But looking into Ukyou's stricken face only hardened his resolve. 

He'd made up his mind. He'd chosen Akane. Heck, it had always been Akane, ever since the first day he saw her, when she extended an offer of friendship to an embarrassed, scared red-haired girl, who'd needed a friend more than anything else. It had been the first act of kindness Ranma had received in a long time, and he carried the memory of it until now. That was the real Akane, he knew. Not the clumsy tomboy, but the kind, generous, warm-hearted young woman hidden beneath all that violent energy. 

The realization that he was readily willing to let the world know of his decision filled him with immense joy. There was no shame in admitting he loved Akane. He'd tried to deny it for far too long already, managing to hurt so many people in the process... 

"Ranchan?" Ukyou said softly. "You...you mean you really..." The tremor in her voice betrayed her anxiety. 

...including one of the people he held most dear in his life, who was standing before him right now... 

Ranma put a hand on her shoulder. "Why don't I go over to your place later, after I come back, and we'll talk about it, Ucchan?" he suggested gently. "I really don't -" 

She grabbed his arm. "You don't love her, you love *me*, don't you, Ranchan?" she begged, seeming not to have heard his words. "I've been so nice to you, you've said so yourself. And you said I was cute, and ..." 

He looked at her silently, trying not to betray any of the pain he felt. *I'm sorry, Ucchan,* he thought. *You're my best friend, and I hate it like hell that I'm hurting you like this...* 

His hand moved to cover hers, squeezing it lightly, before he pried her fingers off his arm. His eyes met hers, and - 

She stepped forward, wrapping both arms around him in a hug. Ranma stiffened. 

"...I love you, Ranchan." 

He winced inwardly. *Ucchan...* 

"Don't you have anything to say to me, Ranchan?" she asked anxiously. 

He closed his eyes. *I sure do.* "Yeah, Ucchan, I do. But I'm really in a hurry," he explained in a rush. "I - I'll see you first thing I come back, okay?" 

"Really, Ranchan?" 

"Yeah, for sure." He gently disentangled himself from her embrace, starting to walk past her towards the door... 

"You're doing it again, you see?" she said softly. "Going to her first before..." 

"What do you want me to do, just sit back and watch her die?" he snapped before he could help himself. 

She looked at him, surprised. "No," she whispered. Then she shook her head. "No," she said firmly. "I'm sorry, Ranchan. I didn't mean that." 

He nodded. "I'm sorry, too. I didn't mean to..." 

She shook her head. "It's okay, Ranchan." 

He smiled his thanks as he brushed past her towards the door. As he put his hand on the sliding doors, he turned around to look back at her. 

Ukyou stood staring at him, hands clasped in front of her. She made a fetching picture in her cream sweater and dark slacks, her chestnut hair pulled up in a ponytail. She was a special friend - but even more than that, she was part of the fond memories of his childhood - a part of his life he never wanted to forget. The bright smiles and cheery laughter she reserved just for him lifted his spirits and made him feel...wanted. Special. Loved. He knew she would love him unconditionally, no matter what he did to screw it up. 

His turbulent relationship with Akane never had such guarantees. He was never sure how she felt about him. One minute, she would smile at him in that special way of hers that made his heart tremble in his chest, and the next minute, she'd hit him over the head for the tiniest little thing. She could trigger in him a wide array of emotions, each stronger than the last. 

But he loved her. While Ukyou made him feel loved, with Akane he was - happy. Happier than he'd ever been with anyone else. Whatever she did or said, being with her had always filled him with a profound sense of contentment - knowing that this beautiful, proud, headstrong girl was his, and that he loved her. 

And Ukyou - he loved her, too, in his own way. Not the same way he loved Akane, not the way Ukyou wanted him to love her, but still... 

Ranma's eyes softened. He wished there was a way to tell her without hurting her... he wanted it to be someplace where they could be alone, with no interruptions, so that he couldn't chicken out... someplace where no one would be around to hear her angry words and anguished tears after she heard what he had to say... 

*I wish you'll find someone else, Ucchan,* he thought sadly. *Someone who would love and cherish you forever, like you deserve...Don't love me, Ucchan, I don't deserve it...You're special to me, too, Ucchan, I love you like a sister. But not more than that. Never more than that...* 

But now was hardly the time for any of that... 

He reached out to squeeze her shoulder. "Thanks for being my friend, Ucchan," he said simply. 

He watched her as she struggled to maintain her smile. "I'm always here for you, Ranchan. Always." 

He smiled. "I know." Turning around, he slid the door open - and found himself face-to-face with Ryouga. 

His rival stared back at him, his expression unreadable. "I was just about to look for you," Ranma told him. "Ready to go?" 

He nodded wordlessly. Ranma walked past him, calling over his shoulder, "Let's get going, then. I have to make a quick stop at the clinic." 

Ryouga's eyes met Ukyou's for a brief moment, before he tore his gaze away, and hurried after Ranma, his mouth set in a thin line. 

**** 

"You're leaving?" 

Ranma stood inside Akane's room, looking down at her, as she lay back on her sheets, her eyes wide with concern. 

Every time he would leave her to go on a journey, he could feel her anxious eyes focused on him, almost begging him to stay. He couldn't blame her. After all the dangerous escapades he's been through - Herb, Saffron - and narrowly escaping death each time, she had enough good reason to fear for his safety. 

He managed a smile for her. "I just stopped to say goodbye. Ryouga's waiting outside." 

He looked down at her, saw the uncertainty, the worry, the unreasoning terror in her eyes. Longing to reassure her, he dropped down on one knee, reaching out to clasp her hand tightly. "I'll be back, Akane," he told her. "Promise me you'll wait for me." 

He squeezed her hand warmly. "You'd better hold out until I come back," he warned, struggling to maintain his grin. "Or else..." 

She stared up at him, her eyes filled with worry. "Be careful," she whispered. 

"I will," he promised. He gave her hand a last reassuring squeeze. "I have to go," he whispered. 

Akane watched as he stood up, adjusting his backpack behind him. Against her will, she remembered the time Ranma left for China with Plum, to retrieve the map of Jyusenkyo and rescue Shampoo. She couldn't bring herself to say goodbye to him formally, because she was ... afraid. Because she had an awful feeling that something terrible was going to happen during this journey, and he might not come back alive... 

And now, the same awful premonition was coming to haunt her again. 

Her hands clenched at her sides. *Please don't go, Ranma. It's okay, we can find another antidote. If there's none, then ... it's okay too. I don't care. But please don't go. I'm afraid. I can't stand waiting here all alone, not knowing if you're alive or dead... Ranma, don't leave me, please -* 

Akane bit her lip, forcing herself to calm down. *He'll never listen to me, anyway, the stubborn baka,* she tried to convince herself. She tried to summon the usual pangs of irritation she felt when dealing with Ranma's thick-headedness, but the stronger voice within her mind refused to let her do so. 

*But I have to tell him,* the voice insisted. *If nothing else, I have to try, at least... I don't want him to get hurt, I don't want him to...* 

"Ranma?" she called hesitantly. She waited for him to turn around, her eyes wide with fear. *Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. But don't go on this journey, please? Maybe we'll find another way...* 

Ranma turned at the sound of her voice. He stared at her, saw the silent plea in her eyes to stay with her. *She's worried about me,* he realized. He stood motionless for a moment, holding her gaze from across the room. 

*I have to do this,* he thought, his hand tightening on the doorknob. *I can't let you die. I...I love you.* 

He stood still, gripping the doorknob so tightly the cold metal dug into his palm. The words echoed endlessly in his mind. *I love you...* 

The words had come from his heart, without warning, without preamble. He looked at her, his heart beating wildly. "I love you," he whispered softly, unaware he'd spoken the words out loud. 

Akane stared back at him, struggling with the words uselessly. She was afraid to tell him because... because she knew he wouldn't agree. Because she knew he would still set off on his journey, his honor and sense of duty overriding all her protests... 

She saw him open his mouth, saw the stunned expression on his face, and his mouth moved to form words she couldn't hear. Her lips trembled, as she continued to rage her internal battle with herself. *Oh Ranma,* she thought helplessly. *I don't want you to go. I'm afraid...* 

Ranma shook himself out of his stupor. *I have a mission,* he thought decisively. *I have to do this.* He looked at her, a tender light in his eyes. 

"Please don't look so sad," he told her. "I'm doing this for you." 

At that moment, looking at her stricken face, he made up his mind. *I'll tell her,* he decided. *As soon as I get back, I'll tell her I love her,* he promised himself. 

She nodded weakly, her eyes filling with tears. 

His resolve started to crumble before his very eyes. He mentally slapped himself, turning the knob in his hand, as he looked back at her one last time. "Goodbye, Akane," he said softly, turning to leave. 

Akane stared after him, her hand held out in a silent plea. The door clicked closed behind Ranma, and Akane bowed her head, biting her lip to keep from crying. 

"Ranma..." she whispered softly, burying her face in her hands. 

Ranma hurriedly blinked his tears away, as he strode purposefully down the stairs, to Dr. Tofu's office, where Ryouga was waiting for him. 

Behind the closed door, it was just about then when the tears started to fall. 

**** 

"Just remember to be back by the day after tomorrow with the antidote," Dr. Tofu was saying. "Also, keep an eye on Ranma. You young boys get into so much trouble together." Tofu smiled. "That's all and well any day, but not right now. Time is of the essence." 

Nabiki nodded. "Don't worry, doctor. Ryouga doesn't have any trouble following instructions. As long as it doesn't have anything to do with getting to where he's going." She grinned. "But we have Ranma going with him to keep him from getting lost, so it's okay." 

Ryouga scowled, glaring at Nabiki. "Not funny," he grumbled. 

Nabiki smirked. Just then, Ranma came in the room, rubbing his eyes. Nabiki frowned. "What's wrong?" 

Ranma shook his head. "Nothing. Just trying to keep myself awake," he mumbled. "Man, I'm pooped." 

"You can sleep on the train," Nabiki said, standing up. "Remember, go find the guy, and hurry back as soon as possible. And no fighting on the road. Doctor's orders." She smiled. 

Ranma nodded. "We'd better get going." He turned to Tofu. "Doctor? You would-" 

Tofu smiled. "I'd look after Akane. Don't worry." 

He nodded again. "Thanks." Turning around, he looked at Ryouga. "C'mon, let's go." 

Nabiki watched as Ranma headed out of the clinic. "You just be damned sure you don't come back empty-handed, Saotome," she called. 

Ranma turned and grinned. "Have I ever failed you?" 

Nabiki opened her mouth to answer, and Ranma scowled. "Forget I asked." 

Smirking, Nabiki watched the two guys head out, Ranma starting to tease Ryouga with his sense of direction, annoying the other boy easily. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Tofu come up beside her. 

"They'll be back on time," Tofu said. "Don't worry." 

"Yeah," Nabiki replied, smiling slightly. "If there's one thing Ranma's good at, it's coming to Akane's rescue." 

**** 

Akane wiped impatiently at her eyes, brushing away the tears. *Baka,* she thought, but without any real anger. *I didn't want you to go!* 

Just then, a knock on her door resounded, and Akane hurriedly wiped her face with the back of her hand, as Nabiki opened the door to come into her room. 

Nabiki's eyes narrowed as she spied Akane's eyes and nose red from crying. "What's wrong?" 

Akane shook her head. "Nothing." 

Tofu came up behind Nabiki. "If you're feeling any pain, Akane, you should tell me. I could give you something to-" 

"No," Akane said softly. "I'm fine. Really. I'm just...worried." 

Nabiki frowned. "About what?" 

She picked nervously at her sheets. "About the note? What - what do you think about it?" 

"To tell the truth, I don't know," Tofu admitted. "I'm still calling some colleagues. We may turn up something soon. But as of now, the note is the best lead we've got." Tofu smiled reassuringly at her. "Don't worry," he told her. "He'll be back." 

"I guess..." 

Tofu squeezed her shoulder. "If you don't believe me, at least have more faith in your fiance, Akane. He won't let us down." 

Akane glanced up. "Don't think that, doctor," she said. "You've done so much to help us already. I'm just worried about Ranma..." She trailed off. 

"He'll be back," Nabiki said. "Ranma's good at keeping his word." 

Akane bit her lip. "You don't understand Ranma, oneechan," she whispered. "He's too impatient and headstrong and arrogant. He'll go jumping into any situation without any care for his own safety. He -" 

"Ah...so it's Ranma you're worried about," Nabiki drawled. "Interesting." 

Akane flushed. "That baka," she muttered, more out of habit than any real ire. 

Tofu smiled. "Ranma does have an unnatural ability to get himself into trouble. But then, I've never met anyone of Ranma's caliber, and he's always been able to get himself out of scrapes. This time won't be different, Akane, 'cause he's not just fighting for himself. He won't let anything happen to you, and he'd be doubly careful to come back to you safely." 

She bit her lip. "You really think so?" 

"Sure," Nabiki replied cheerfully. "Just think what Daddy would do to Ranma if he failed. Ranma won't have a chance." 

"Not funny." 

Nabiki sat down beside Akane. "Well, you could use a little good humor, sister. All that worrying won't do you any good." 

Akane pulled the blankets tighter around her. "I'm really afraid," she whispered softly. 

Nabiki's eyes softened. "He'll come through okay," she assured her. "He's a macho jerk, remember? Macho jerks always come through okay," she joked. 

Akane nodded slightly. "I guess." But it did nothing to assuage the fear in her heart. 

*Ranma,* she thought. *Come back soon. Please. I don't want to...lose you...* 

But, as always, the words came to her too late.   
  
  


*** End CHAPTER 4 *** 

   [1]: mailto:stiffanie@mailcity.com
   [2]: http://www.angelfire.com/sd/Ranmafanfic/index.html



	5. Sacrifice

Waiting For You   
A Ranma 1/2 Fanfic By [Stiffanie Flores][1] Homepage: [Ranma Fanfiction by Stiffanie ][2]

Disclaimer : Ranma 1/2 and all characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi. This fanfic is written for enjoyment and self-fulfillment purposes only. 

Chapter 5:  
Sacrifice   
  


Ranma looked out the window, watching as the landscape swept past them, a colorful blur in his eyes. The light rocking of the train made him drowsy, and he blinked a few times, trying to keep awake. 

He turned his head slightly, looking at Ryouga, who was sitting in front of him. Ryouga grunted as he felt Ranma's gaze settle on him. "What?" he growled. 

Ranma shrugged. "Nothin'. I thought you were asleep." 

"How long is this ride going to be?" 

Ranma frowned as he leaned back on his seat. "More than 5 hours, I dunno." He looked up again. "Weren't you at Ryugenzawa that time, too? When we fought that monster?" 

Ryouga snorted and looked away. "You know I just stumbled upon that place by accident when I got lost. Don't rub it in." 

"Sheesh. Just trying to make conversation, you know." Ranma sighed. "This is gonna be a long trip." 

Ryouga was still looking out the window. "Where will this train drop us off?" 

"We'll have to walk a few miles. This place is just a few more miles up the mountain, deeper into the forests." Ranma stared out the window. "I think we'll be spending the night in the woods." 

"Whatever. I'm used to it." 

Ranma smirked. "So am I." He shifted to find a more comfortable position on his seat. "Better get some sleep while we can." 

Ranma leaned back and closed his eyes, totally missing the look of hostility Ryouga shot him. 

The gentle rocking of the train slowly lulled Ranma to sleep, and after a while, Ryouga looked to see Ranma lying slumped on his seat, a soft snore escaping his lips. 

Ryouga turned his head to glance out at the passing scenery. It was fairly quiet in the train, the only sound being the soft whir of the machines. It was one of those moments when one feels that everything around him was at peace. 

But Ryouga Hibiki had never found peace. His horrible sense of direction had denied him even that. More so with Ranma around, stealing his bread, and after he'd knocked Ryouga into the Spring of Drowned Pig, so began the never-ending nightmare that had become his life. 

Ryouga propped his head up on his elbow and sighed. Ranma hadn't been in the mood for idle conversation, which was just fine with Ryouga. They'd talked a little about their plans for the next two days. By Ranma's estimation, they should get to the place by tomorrow morning, if they set a steady pace. Ryouga had left all the planning to his rival, knowing that he could get them to their destination. 

He hoped they'd get the cure quickly, and get back to Nerima soon. That was his purpose for coming along with Ranma, to make sure he'd get back on time. He didn't want to risk Akane's safety. 

Ranma shifted in his sleep, mumbling incoherently. Ryouga frowned as he looked at the sleeping boy sitting across from him. This was the person who'd made his life a living hell. How could one person wreak so much havoc on another man's life? How could he have caused such suffering, such pain? Why did he have to destroy everything that he touched? Ryouga, Ukyou, Akane ... 

How could he treat Akane so callously, casually destroying her every happiness with some insensitive remark? How could he ridicule everything that she did, not knowing how much effort she put into it? Her cooking, her martial arts, her looks...how could he call her uncute, when Ryouga himself saw Ranma blush furiously as Akane smiled happily at him... 

Wait a minute... did that mean...? 

He shook his head furiously. Impossible! Ranma didn't care for Akane. If he did, why would he insult her and make her so unhappy so often? Yes, that's right, Ranma didn't... 

But if he didn't, why does he fall to pieces whenever Akane's unhappy? 

...why does he keep on coming between Ryouga and Akane? Ruin everything Ryouga did to win Akane? Ruin anything *anybody* did to win Akane?... 

Ryouga glared at Ranma. Even in sleep, he managed to cause Ryouga such grief. He didn't need to *do* anything, he just had to *exist,* and the lives of everyone around him would be constantly thrown into turmoil... 

Take Ryouga, for example. From the very first moment he'd met Ranma, the pig-tailed martial artist had constantly snatched his bread from him, starting the infamous bread fights... teased him mercilessly about his sense of direction...dared to run out on their duel, after Ryouga had tried *so* hard to get to that damned vacant lot behind his house...run off to China, giving Ryouga no choice but to follow him all the way to China to finish that damned duel...*pushed* Ryouga into that cursed Spring of Drowned Pig, making his life a living hell... 

...and now, in Nerima, Ranma was *still* trying to make life miserable for Ryouga, as he continued to thwart Ryouga's attempts to win Akane, or get in his way as he tried to seek comfort in Akane's arms... as he continued to hurt Akane mercilessly with his callous insults and womanizing ways, making the fire in Ryouga's heart burn hot and wild, as he watched the woman he loved scorned and cast aside by that who was supposed to love and cherish her, as her fiancee... 

Ryouga's aura began to flicker brightly around him... 

*No use thinking about that now,* he tried to convince himself, forcing himself to calm down. *How can I get Ranma to help me get Akane's cure if I break all his bones in his body? Everything else would just have to wait." 

Ryouga glared again at Ranma, as if doing so would make all his troubles go away. Ranma only continued in his slumber, a light snore the only sound escaping his lips. Ryouga sighed again and tried to settle more comfortably in his seat, knowing that Ranma slept like the dead, and sleep was at least one thing Ranma would not deprive him of. 

**** 

Nabiki tapped her pencil against her notebook, gnawing lightly on her lower lip. She glanced down at the ledger spread out before her, detailing the revenues she'd earned - from selling pictures, distributing some rumors at school, selling some news about Ranma or Akane, even from renting Ranma out by the hour some time ago... 

Normally looking at her ledger would fill her with an immense feeling of satisfaction. Here she was, seventeen years old, still in high school... but already she was a shrewd businesswoman, knowing how and where to get the money she needed, knowing how to manipulate people, what buttons to push to get what you want... 

She wasn't proud of *everything* she did. Like the time she claimed Ranma as her fiance, she'd only been after some fun. And of course, she'd managed to make the most out of her "engagement." But as she watched Akane burn with jealous rage at the sight of Nabiki and Ranma together...as she saw her sister frantically deny all her feelings for Ranma, believing that Nabiki was in love with him...as she watched Akane and Ranma try to make up for their fight, but just to end up in *another* fight instead, Nabiki felt a tiny twinge of ... unease. Guilt, maybe? She felt...ashamed...that she was having fun at her sister's expense...that she would destroy her sister's happiness, just for another chance to make a quick buck. 

But everything that she did, she rationalized it by telling herself that she was doing it for her family. How else would her family be able to enjoy a continuous flow of income, if not for her? Who would pay for the food and supplies and the repairs every time Ranma or Akane would wreck the dojo? 

Yes, that's right. She was doing it for her family, seeing to it that they would be able to enjoy a comfortable lifestyle. And once in a while, she'd help push Ranma and Akane a little to the right direction. A little shove here, a little nudge there... 

Nabiki had no delusions about her sister's love life. Akane may shout and snarl all she wanted at Ranma, curse him to the Hells for getting engaged to her, but Nabiki could see that all that was just bluster. One had only to look at the way Akane was always so worried about Ranma, or excited when she was trying a new recipe out for Ranma... 

Yup, her sister was head over heels over a gorgeous babe with a great bod, beautiful blue-gray eyes, and the cutest pigtail. Gee, how surprising. Just like the rest of the female population in Nerima. 

Nabiki sighed inwardly as she leaned back on her chair. That was one of Ranma's biggest problems - he just attracted too many damned admirers. Aside from his...um, exquisite physical attributes...he had a natural, boyish charm that drew females to him like bears to honey. 

It wouldn't actually be so bad if they were decent, *normal* women. But no, Don Juan's fiancee couldn't be just any woman - she had to be *special.* Let's see...Shampoo was an Amazon warrior whose sense of decency was as crooked as her Japanese. Ukyou was actually nice enough, without her adamant claims that she's Ranma's only fiancee, or when she wasn't fighting with Shampoo for Ranma's attention. And Kodachi was just insane, with a penchant for having wild beasts as pets and attacking people with paralysis-gas-laden roses. 

Speaking of which...could the mysterious package had been from Kodachi? Nabiki wondered. After all, she was the local expert in paralysis and sleeping gas. Poison would just be the next notch up for her. Besides, Kodachi made no secret about resenting Akane's "intrusion" in her quest to win Ranma's love. It wasn't too hard to imagine that it was her doing. 

Then again, it wasn't like Kodachi to lay low and keep quiet until Akane was finally killed by the poison. After all, she had a few screws loose... it would be just like Kodachi to be prancing around town crowing about her victory over that "wicked, wicked wench." 

Of course, that didn't eliminate any of the other suspects. Maybe Shampoo was trying to eliminate Akane as an obstacle again - she'd done some pretty terrible things before, erasing Ranma from Akane's memory... Ukyou was a long shot, but Nabiki wasn't about to discard the possibility. Tarou, perhaps, back with a bone to pick with Ranma or Happosai? Or maybe it was - god forbid, someone new? 

*Curse you, Ranma,* she thought sourly. *Curse you and your boundless ability to attract trouble and put those around you in danger time and again...* 

Nabiki sighed again as she closed her ledger. She wouldn't be getting any work done tonight - besides, tomorrow was Monday, and she had to go to school. Just as well... she could contact her sources and try to find out who was behind the poison. Whoever it was, there would be hell to pay. 

As for Ranma, she'd give him an earful the moment he got home - he deserved it, after all the trouble he's brought. No, scratch that... the moment Tofu announces that Akane's cured and well on recovery's way, she could relax, *then* she'd let him have it. 

Nabiki stood up and got ready for bed. It didn't even occur to her that Ranma might not make it back with the cure. He may be a trouble magnet, but he had a way of making things right again - or at least as right as things could become around Ranma. No doubt about it, Ranma would come back with the cure. 

**** 

Ranma trudged briskly through the woods, eyes focused ahead. Ryouga followed close behind. 

"Aren't we there yet?" Ryouga asked impatiently. 

"What do you think, stupid?" Ranma replied without looking back. 

Ryouga bristled. "Look, you-" 

Ranma sighed. "Sorry, man. Just - just follow me, and don't get lost, okay? We're almost there." 

"Easy for you to say," Ryouga muttered under his breath, too softly for Ranma to hear. 

*Hang on a little while longer, Akane,* Ranma thought as he strode determinedly, eyes focused ahead. *We're almost there, and I'll get your cure, and I'll hurry back to you, and after you're okay again, I promise I won't make you angry I don't wanna fight with you anymore I'll tell you I love you like I promised before I left...* 

Ranma blinked as they came to a small clearing. And in front of him, was a cottage, small and quaint, like a storybook picture... 

"Are we here yet?" Ryouga asked. 

Ranma nodded. "I think so." He quickened his pace, and Ryouga ran to catch up with him. 

Ranma came to a stop at the door to the cottage, and rapped his knuckles against the wooden door. "Hello?" he called. "Is anyone here?" 

A few moments of silence passed. "Seems like no one's here," Ranma muttered. He started banging on the door harder. "Hello?" 

Ryouga looked around worriedly. "What do we do now, Ranma?" 

Ranma scowled. "Damned if I give up now, not after coming all this way." He pounded harder. "Is anyone there?" 

Abruptly the door opened, and Ranma paused, his fist still raised in the air. An old man stood before him, dressed in a faded brown gi. His hair, gray streaked with lines of white, was combed back from his face, and his eyes - a startling shade of deep sea blue, Ranma noticed - were narrowed as he glared up at them from his stooped posture. 

"So impatient, you youngsters," the old man snapped. "Who are you, and what are you doing in my home?" 

Ranma flushed. "Sensei," he said softly, bowing from his waist. "My name is Saotome Ranma, and this is my friend, Hibiki Ryouga." 

The old man glared up at them. "So?" 

"We've come all the way from Nerima, Tokyo, sir. We have received word that you could help us. Please - " 

"Please help us!" Ryouga interrupted. "Please help us save Akane!" 

"You still haven't told me what this is all about." 

"It's about the Chueh Wang poison, sensei." 

That took the old man's attention. "How do you know about the poison?" 

Ranma lowered his eyes. "My fiancee is as of now lying on a hospital bed dying from it." 

He paused. "Come in," he told them, stepping aside to let them in. 

Ranma hesitated for a second before striding in. Ryouga followed behind him. 

The old man led them to a scarred wooden table in the next room. "Please, pull up a chair," he told them, as he sat down on a stool. "Tell me more about it." Then, he smiled slightly. "Where are my manners? I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Takanari." 

Ranma nodded. "Takanari-sensei. My fiancee has the poison flowing in her veins," he began. "I was told that she would die in three days if uncured." 

"How was she poisoned, boy?" Takanari inquired. 

Ranma shook his head. "We don't know. My main concern is to get the antidote for her. All other things can wait till she's recovered." 

"Why did you come to me?" 

Ranma pulled a sheet of paper from his backpack. He reached across the table to hand it to Takanari. "We received this note telling us what to do." 

Takanari narrowed his eyes as he scanned the short note. "Strange," he muttered. "Who could this be?" 

"How could he have known you have the antidote, sensei?" Ranma asked. 

Ryouga glared at his rival. "That's not important right now," he snapped. "What's important is to get the cure for Akane!" 

"Brings back so many memories," Takanari murmured, almost to himself. 

Ranma frowned. "Sensei?" 

Takanari shook his head. "I had traveled across Japan when I was a young man." He chuckled. "I was wild and impulsive back then. I set out with my books and samples to look for antidotes to some unknown diseases and poison. I had ventured as far as China in my quest. China has many herbs and plants we have never even heard of before. I was eager to make some new discoveries that I stowed away on a ship to get to China." 

Ryouga opened his mouth to interrupt, impatience eating at his nerves. Ranma threw him a sharp look, silencing him. 

"What happened, sensei?" Ranma prompted. 

"I spent a year travelling across the lands, getting to know people, finding some new herbs. But I haven't discovered anything of much importance as of then. And then, I met her." 

His lined face was wreathed in a smile. "Mei Lin. She was the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. Her beauty, both outward and within, drew me to her. We shared the same passion for plants and herbs. She had an extensive knowledge of plants, so much that I was in awe of her. She was strong and beautiful and intelligent and confident. Everyday we would spend hours scouring the land for special herbs, experimenting with plant samples. And I fell in love with her." 

His smile vanished. "It was not to be. She had laws which forbade her to love me, laws which forbade me to propose marriage to her." 

He put his face in his hands. "Her grandmother followed her one day, when she sneaked out to meet me. She threatened Mei Lin with exile. Mei Lin stood before me and confessed our love, and told her grandmother she would stay with me no matter what. Before I could blink, her grandmother tapped the back of her neck, and she fell to the ground, unconscious. Then she did the same thing to me. I stood no chance against her. 

"The next thing I remember is seeing Mei Lin's grandmother before me. She told me she would spare my life and let me go if I leave Mei Lin and swear to never see her again. In all the weeks I've known her, she always talks of her family, her friends, and her loyalty to her people. I couldn't bear for her to lose all that. The next morning, I started out for Japan. I never saw her again." 

"What does this have to do with the poison, sensei?" 

Takanari took a deep breath. "The antidote to the Chueh Wang poison is one of the things we discovered together." 

Ranma felt the small room close around him. His heartbeat thundered in his ears. "So you do have the antidote, sensei?" 

He nodded. "Her people had possession of the poison for years. No antidote has ever been found, before Mei Lin. She told me it was sometimes used as punishment for offenders of tribal laws. After I came back to Japan, I lived with my family for a short time, before I settled here. It was our discovery, Mei Lin and me. I would not take credit for it alone. I have told no one about it. No one ever asked of it, until you." 

Ranma pulled on his pigtail thoughtfully. "It's getting more suspicious by the minute. Who could have sent this note, and how did he know of Takanari-sensei?" 

"Do you think it's the same person who poisoned Akane?" Ryouga asked. 

Ranma shook his head. "Nah. If they wanted Akane to die, they won't give us this clue." 

Ryouga looked up. "Could you help us, sensei?" 

Takanari raised his eyes. "Why should I help you?" 

Ranma gaped. "Sensei!" he burst out. "You have to help us! If you don't, Akane... she... she'll die!" 

"Akane?" Takanari shifted his gaze from Ryouga to Ranma. "Your fiancee?" He looked back at Ryouga. "Or yours?" 

Ryouga glared at Ranma a moment, then looked down at his hands. 

"Mine," Ranma said softly. 

Takanari gazed intently at Ranma. "You love her?" 

Ryouga paled as he jerked his head up, looking at Ranma. 

Ranma closed his eyes, drawing a deep breath. "She's the most important person in the world to me. And I ... I love her," he whispered. "Very much." 

A long, awkward silence filled the air, so palpable that Ryouga could almost reach out and touch it. Still, he remained rock-still on his seat, despair and disbelief frozen on his face. 

The old man broke the silence at last. "Seeing you boys remind me of my younger days, when I was so eager to take on the world. I wanted to stay, you know. I didn't want to leave her behind. But when I was told of the consequences, I made my choice. She didn't deserve to be cast out, or to die. I loved her too much to let that happen to her." 

"Akane ... she almost died once," Ranma whispered. He gripped the edge of the table with both hands. "She did the stupidest thing, jumping in to help me, and only got herself almost killed. I held her in my arms, she wasn't breathing, and I was so scared, I thought she was dead. I thought I was too late to save her, and she'd died without knowing I ..." 

He looked up at Takanari pleadingly. "Sensei, you have to help us! If you don't, Akane ..." He swallowed painfully. "She'll die, and I don't know what I'd do if she dies." 

Takanari sighed. "That is a question we hope we'd never have to answer, son." He stood up and left the room, leaving Ranma alone with his thoughts. 

Ranma hung his head, his fingers tightening on the sheet of paper he held in one hand. Ryouga slowly swung his head around, looking at Ranma. 

"What - do you think?" he asked hesitantly. "Will he help us?" 

Ranma didn't answer. His shoulders slumped forward, as he rested his head on the table. 

Ryouga looked away, focusing his gaze instead on the empty wall to his right. 

Takanari came back into the room, carrying a teapot and cups on a tray with one hand. He laid the tray on the table and sat down, before he picked up the teapot and filled each cup silently. 

"Here," he said, putting a steaming cup in front of Ranma. "Have something to warm yourself up." 

Ranma looked up. "Sensei - " he began. 

Takanari held up a hand, silencing Ranma. He reached inside his gi and pulled out a loose sheet of paper. He put it down on the table in front of Ranma. "Here." 

Ranma picked it up and scanned the list of scribblings hurriedly. "Is this -" 

Takanari nodded. "The formula for the antidote. I have made copies of my studies over the years." 

"Sensei..." Ranma breathed, clutching the paper tightly. He stood up and bowed deeply. "Arigato, sensei," he whispered. "Arigato." 

Takanari waved dismissively at him. "Enough. It is perhaps time I put that discovery to good use. I don't know who sent you to me, but it is my obligation to help." 

"No, it isn't," Ranma said. "You could have turned us away, sensei, without even hearing us out." 

"True." Takanari smiled. "Won't you need to head back now? Tomorrow is the third day. You don't have much time." 

Ranma looked out the window at the afternoon sun. "You're right. We have to get going." He slapped Ryouga's shoulder. "Hey, Ryouga! Let's go." 

Ryouga stood up. "I'm sorry for my inattention, sensei. Thank you for helping us." 

Takanari looked between the two. "I was just curious. Is he your friend or your enemy?" he asked Ranma. 

Ranma grinned. "Both." He leaned down to grab his backpack. 

Takanari led them to the door. "Be cautious when walking through the woods," he advised. "Bandits here hide in the forests waiting for prey." 

"Yes, sensei. And thank you, for everything," Ranma said. 

"It is reward enough for an old man to be of help." He smiled. "She must be a very special young woman." 

Ranma nodded, blushing slightly. "She is." He carefully tucked the paper in a side pocket on his backpack. "We have to go, sensei." 

Takanari waved them off. "Go, then. And be sure to follow carefully the instructions on the note." 

"We will," Ranma promised. "Thank you." 

"Thanks," Ryouga echoed, as he hurried to follow Ranma. 

Takanari watched the two disappear into the forest, and smiling to himself, walked back inside his house. 

**** 

"That sure was easy," Ranma commented as he trudged down the mountain. "I didn't expect it to be this easy." 

"What did you expect?" 

Ranma shrugged. "I dunno. Some reluctance, maybe. A little prodding. Maybe a bribe or a favor or something." He turned to grin at Ryouga. "We can hike all night and be back at home early tomorrow. Are you up to it?" 

Before Ryouga could answer, Ranma chuckled as he quickened his pace. "Don't matter to me either way. I'll drag you back if I have to, but we have to get back in time." 

Ryouga followed a few steps behind, watching as Ranma started to hum a jaunty song as he walked. Not that he can blame Ranma for being happy. He was too, now that they had the formula for Akane's antidote. They'd be able to save Akane. That was all that mattered. 

*Yes, that's right,* Ryouga told himself. *Forget about what Ranma said to Takanari-sensei. Forget it ever happened. That doesn't matter right now. What matters is Akane.* 

"Hey," Ranma spoke up. "Ryouga? Thanks for coming with me." 

Ryouga snorted. "I didn't do it for you." 

"I know," Ranma answered quietly. He paused and looked at Ryouga. "Still, thanks. I mean it." 

"Yeah. Whatever." Ryouga swept past him without glancing in his way. 

Ranma grinned as he caught up to him. "What? I was just making conversation." 

"Are you always this eager for company?" 

Ranma shrugged. "I've spent most of my life on the road. The old man wasn't much of a talker. After training, he basically left me to my own." He smiled. "It's more fun to have company, you know. To have someone to talk to while walking through the woods, like right now -" 

Ryouga scowled. "I wouldn't know. I spent more time getting lost than at home sleeping in my own bed. Then you came, and I followed you to China." 

Ranma sobered. "Sorry, man. That directional whatchamacallit of yours must be hard on you." 

"You have no idea." Ryouga stared straight ahead. "You don't know what it's like to be ridiculed because you don't have the common sense to get to the bathroom without getting lost. You don't have any idea what it's like to be constantly wandering around aimlessly for your entire life, with only fierce determination forcing you onwards, to your destination." 

"I know. We all have our own problems." 

Ryouga spun around. "Problems? How can you have problems, asshole, when you've had everything you've ever wanted handed to you on a silver platter? Your skill, your speed, your family, your friends, and those girls..." 

Familiar anger sparked in Ranma. "I am so sick and tired of people thinking my life is a goddamned day on the beach," he snapped. "Everything I have now, I worked my ass off for it. Do you have any ideas of the stupid stunts my old man calls training? Getting stung by bees and clawed and bit by cats, just to learn a stupid technique? Do you know what it's like to have to fight to keep your dinner on your plate every night, and have it called training? Every time Cologne teaches me a new technique, you don't think she makes me go through hell before I get it?" 

Ranma sighed, and visibly tried to calm himself. "I'm no different from you, Ryouga. I spent my whole life on the road, I didn't have any friends, until I settled with the Tendos. I didn't have a family, either. Only my old man. I spent months hiding from my mother terrified she'd kill me when she finds out about my curse." 

"Well, you still have those girls," Ryouga muttered. "And I'm sure there's a couple hundred more around drooling after you when you walk by." 

Ranma looked away. "I'm sure everyone thinks that, too." He let out a breath. "At first, it was - flattering," he began hesitantly. "Finally, we'd settled in a place long enough for me to make friends. They liked me, in spite of the curse. I finally had at least a semblance of the life I wanted." 

He dragged a hand through his unruly hair. "Those girls are my friends. People who accepted me regardless of every stupid thing I do. I like them for that. But I never wanted any of those girls to want me, Ryouga. If I could get Shampoo give up on me, I'd have done that long ago. It's not that easy. She has that sly old mummy for her great-grandmother, you know. I'd do anything for Kodachi to leave me alone. And Ukyou - she's my friend. That's all. I should have told her that long ago." He paused. "I wish there was a way to turn them down and still be friends. They are such good friends. I don't want to lose that." 

Silence hung over them for a while, the only sound being the crunch of leaves underneath their steps as they walked. Ryouga glanced over at Ranma, saw him staring straight ahead as he walked stealthily forward. He snorted at the serious expression on Ranma's face. 

"You take all the good things in your life for granted," he muttered sourly. "Living with the Tendos, having so many friends and family. Even when it came to Jyusenkyo, you just had to turn into a girl. You have no idea what kind of life I've led for the past two years because of this curse. You don't accidentally wander to a hungry soul's cooking pot every other day and almost get cooked into pork stew." He glared at him. "And that's still your fault, Ranma!" 

Ranma was silent for a while, Ryouga thought he hadn't heard him. But then Ranma spoke up. "I'm sure you have problems about your curse, Ryouga. But don't think that just because I stay human it's all fun and dandy. A lot of things wouldn't have happened to me if it weren't for this curse. I wouldn't have had Shampoo out to kill me the first time. I wouldn't have been so damned scared of my own mother. I wouldn't have Nabiki selling photographs of my female form." His voice lowered, and Ryouga had to strain to hear him. "I would have met Akane in my male form that first day if it wasn't for the curse." 

He looked up at Ryouga. "Man, I am so sorry for knocking you into that spring. But you gotta stop blaming me for that." His eyes clouded. "It was, like, ten minutes after I fell into the Nyannichuan. I was so scared, and so angry at my old man. I chased him for hours. I think that's when I - I pushed you into the spring. I don't remember it clearly anymore. 

"You don't make it any easier on me, you know," Ranma went on. "Sneaking into Akane's bed like that. Do you think I like having another guy sleeping in my fiancee's bed?" 

"What is this, a 'pity on Ranma' session?" Ryouga said snidely. "How'd you get so serious all of a sudden?" 

"You have no idea how much I've changed lately," Ranma replied quietly. "I've been thinking about this for a long time. I don't want to take advantage of the good things in life anymore, Ryouga. I want to take responsibility. And I wish-" He trailed off, cocking his head to the side. 

"What?" Ryouga snapped impatiently when Ranma didn't speak. 

Ranma shook his head and held up a hand, gesturing for silence. He looked around him cautiously, eyes narrowed in concentration. 

"What is it?" 

Ranma glared at him. "Be quiet, stupid." He turned to his right, walking briskly. 

Ryouga bristled. "Who are you calling stupid?" Seeing Ranma walking off without him, he hurried to catch up, scowling. 

As he caught up to him, he realized the reason for Ranma's abrupt departure. He came to a stop beside Ranma, frowning. 

A few feet away, Ryouga spotted three men, all tall and heavily-muscled, towering over two young girls. One of the girls opened her mouth to scream, only to be muffled, as the man standing on the right leaned down and clamped his hand on her mouth. He shook his head empathetically, grinning maliciously as she paled, and her eyes filled with tears. 

"Be quiet, and we won't hurt you," he suggested, as he crouched down in front of the sobbing girl. 

"Please, let us go," the other girl begged. "We have to get back to the village to give our father his medicine. Please!" 

The man to the left laughed. "No can do, girlie." He grabbed the girl's arms. "Don't worry, I'll show you a good time." 

Ryouga saw Ranma's body tense, as he prepared to leap out. His hand shot out to grab Ranma's shoulder. "What are you doing?" he hissed. 

"I can't just sit here and do nothing!" he snapped. 

"But - what about Akane?" 

Ranma shrugged him off. "There's plenty of time left. This'll take just a while." 

"Dammit, Ranma ..." 

Ranma glared at him. "If you think I'll just turn around and leave those two girls alone, you don't know me at all. And if you think Akane'll want me to desert other people's needs just for hers, you don't know her, either!" 

Without another word, he turned and leapt from the bushes, launching himself towards the three men. Ryouga swore under his breath as he jumped out after Ranma. 

The three men looked up in surprise as Ranma and Ryouga descended on them. Ranma lunged for the man on the left, delivering a swift kick to the side of his face, just as he brought his elbow down on the man standing in the middle. The first man staggered back, losing his grip on the girl's arm. Ranma pulled his arm in and punched him, sending him sprawling a few feet away on the ground. 

He looked around in time to see Ryouga punch out the other man. "Thanks, P-Chan," he called. 

"Don't call me that," Ryouga shouted back. 

Ranma didn't respond, as he saw the three men come to their feet, starting towards them menacingly. He turned to look at the two girls, who were standing with their arms around each other. 

"Run away, now. We'll take care of this." He flashed them a reassuring smile. 

The first girl nodded timidly. "Thank you," she whispered. She grabbed the other girl's arm and dashed away quickly. 

Ryouga walked over to Ranma, who was glaring at the three men ominously. "Give it up, guys," Ranma said. "I'm in a lot of hurry." 

One of the men snorted. "Then you shouldn't have gotten in our way." He pulled out a switchblade and lunged for Ranma. 

Ranma neatly sidestepped him, and delivered a blow to the back of his neck. The man fell to the ground, groaning in pain. 

"What now, Hiruma?" the man on the left asked, drawing Ranma's attention to him. 

"Well," said Hiruma. "This shall be fun, I think." With that, he lunged for Ranma. The other man jumped for Ryouga. 

"Damn," Ranma muttered, as he held his arms up to parry a blow. "Why can't I pick just ordinary bandits to pound on? Does every one else study martial arts now?" 

Ryouga pulled a couple of bandannas off his head and threw them at his opponent, who nimbly leapt out of the way. "Dammit, Ranma! This is all your fault!" 

"Shut up, Pig-boy." Ranma leapt to deliver a mid-air kick to Hiruma's face. "I'm in a hurry here, so don't mind me if I finish this off quickly." 

Hiruma straightened and wiped the blood from his broken lip on the sleeve of his shirt. "I'm just getting warmed up." He smirked, then took a step forward. Ranma stepped back. 

For the next few minutes, Ranma parried off Hiruma's blows, occasionally getting in a good hit or two. Ranma's frown deepened with each minute. 

*He's good,* he thought to himself. *He's not as fast as I am, but his defense needs work.* He grunted as a punch caught him in the stomach. He recovered quickly and advanced. *Not enough strength behind his punches, though. I've had worse from Ryouga.* 

Hiruma's fist lashed out, and Ranma swung his arm, grabbing his fist in mid-air. He tightened his hold on Hiruma's arm and twisted it a little to the right. Hiruma grunted in pain, and he lifted his free arm, ready to swing it at Ranma's face. 

Anticipating the movement, Ranma let go of Hiruma's arm at the last minute, and delivered a quick blow while the other man's defenses were down. Hiruma stumbled back, breathing heavily. 

Ranma stood in his ready stance. "Give up, man?" he asked. 

Hiruma smirked. "Not bloody likely." He stood and dropped into a battle stance. 

His eyes narrowed, and Ranma tensed, sensing a presence behind him. Suddenly, his arm snapped back, twisting his right shoulder in an uncomfortable angle. 

Ranma looked up at his arm, seemingly frozen in air. He grunted in frustration as he tried to move it, but to no avail. 

The third man, whom Ranma had punched out earlier, came up behind him, and grabbed his other arm, twisting it behind him. 

Hiruma laughed. "Can't move your arm, eh?" He pulled a switchblade from his belt as he advanced. 

"You resort to dirty tricks to win fights, Hiruma," Ranma growled. 

"What matters is that you win the fight." Hiruma grinned as he stopped in front of Ranma, twirling the switchblade between his fingers. Then, his hand stilled, and he tapped the blade lightly against Ranma's cheek. "What? You don't agree?" 

Ranma glared at him. "This is not an honorable way to win a fight. An opponent sneaking up behind me, immobilizing my arms..." 

"No matter. We have learned to bend the rules as we went." 

Ranma smirked. "Oh, but there's something you need to work on a little more." 

Hiruma opened his mouth to speak. Before he could utter a word, he saw a blast of white energy explode behind Ranma, and his cohort gave a shout of pain as he lurched back. 

Ranma drew his free arm forward, still smirking at Hiruma. "You gravely underestimated your opponent. That could cost you your victory." 

He twisted his other wrist, until his palm faced the open space behind him. Hiruma gaped as Ranma's palm began to glow, and a small ball of blue energy formed. With a flick of his wrist, Ranma sent the chi ball flying, as it connected harmlessly with the trees behind him. A thick branch snapped off, falling to the ground with a loud thud. 

The energy blast did its job. Ranma flexed his other arm, exercising the sore muscles. "That was a dirty trick, using thin, transparent nylon rope to tie my arm to that tree, preventing my movements. That might work with an amateur, but not against someone like me." 

Recovering from his shock, Hiruma lifted his arm, throwing the switchblade at Ranma's face. Ranma merely tipped his head to the side, and the blade whizzed by his head, missing his ear by a few scant centimeters. 

"You'd have to do better than that," he said. Hiruma's eyes narrowed as he glanced at something behind Ranma... 

...just as Ranma heard a soft clicking sound come from behind him, and time seemed to slow down as he turned around, his muscles tensed to spring... 

There was a loud explosion, like a thunderclap resounding in the dead silence of the night. A searing pain shot through his body, and Ranma jerked back, stumbling over his own feet, his hand automatically coming to rest on a spot on his abdomen... 

Blood spurted from a gaping wound on his stomach, soaking his red shirt. Slowly, he lifted his hand and stared, mesmerized by the spots of red dripping from his fingers. 

"Ranma!" Ryouga yelled from a few feet away. Vaguely, Ranma heard Ryouga's cry of "Bakusai Tenketsu," followed by the sound of splintering wood. 

It was enough to jerk him out of his stupor. A surge of adrenaline pumped into his veins, and he whipped around, launching himself at Hiruma's cohort. The man looked stricken as he saw Ranma leaping for him, and his hands fumbled on the gun, fingers moving to pull the trigger. 

The man let out a surprised yelp as Ranma kicked the gun out of his hands. The weapon cluttered to the ground, and the man backed a few steps, trembling. Ranma pinned the man with a furious glare, as he raised his arm to strike. 

"Kacchu Tenshin Amaguriken!" 

He didn't even know what hit him. The first blow rendered him unconscious, and for a while, his body hung suspended in the air, as Ranma rained multiple blows on him. Then, Ranma withdrew his arm, and his body fell to the ground with a thud. 

Ranma sagged, breathing heavily. His right side burned like hell, as the wound tore when he leapt up to kick Hiruma's partner. He pressed the heel of his palm against the wound, wincing in pain. Those bastards... 

Ranma whipped around, abruptly remembering Hiruma still stood behind him. At the same time, he heard Hiruma's cry of pain, which was cut off, as his body banged against the thick trunk of a tree. He slid down, unconscious. 

Ryouga glanced at Ranma anxiously. "Ranma?" 

Ranma took a wobbly step forward. Without warning, his knees buckled, and he stumbled face-first to the ground. He groaned as he landed on his right side, needles of pain shooting up from the wound throughout his entire body. 

*Akane...* 

Tears of pain and frustration burned his eyes, as he braced both hands on either side of him, rolling his body to lie on his back. He closed his eyes, sending tears spilling down his face. 

*Man, oh man I'm in such deep shit I'm so stupid, how could I let him do that Akane I have to get back she needs me dammit what ...* 

"Ranma!" 

Ranma's eyes snapped open. The world swam in front of his eyes, and he blinked, trying to clear his vision. 

Ryouga knelt in front of him, his frantic eyes focusing on Ranma. He caught his breath when he saw his rival, lying on the ground, his own blood pooling beneath him. 

"Dammit, Ranma. How could you let him get you?" he whispered. 

Ranma shook his head. "Too slow. I was too damned slow." 

"Enough of that. Let's bind that wound first." Ryouga pulled a bandage from his backpack. 

Ryouga held out his arm, and Ranma grasped it tightly, allowing Ryouga to pull him to a sitting position. Ryouga winced as he saw the pool of blood gathered on the ground beside Ranma. More blood gushed from the open wound, causing Ranma's shirt to cling to his body wetly. 

Ryouga hurriedly wrapped the bandage tightly around Ranma's abdomen, ignoring Ranma's grunts of pain. As soon as he tied the knot, the bandage was also soaked in blood. Ryouga frowned as he grabbed a thick towel, pressing it tightly against Ranma's stomach. 

"You're losing too much blood," he muttered. "We have to stop the bleeding." 

A hand clutched Ryouga's arm. Ryouga looked down at Ranma, who was looking at him with heavy-lidded eyes. Ryouga stared at him, surprised. 

"Go back," Ranma whispered. "Please. Go back to Akane." 

Ryouga shook his head. "No. I can't leave you, Ranma." 

Ranma's eyes snapped open, glaring at Ryouga. "Do it!" he shouted, biting his lip as the pain stabbed him again and again. 

Ryouga stubbornly returned his glare. "I'm not going to leave you behind, Ranma. You promised the Tendos, and you're not going back on your word. We're going back together even if I have to carry you all the way back." He reached out to take Ranma's arm, intending to do just that. 

Ranma slapped his hand away. "I'm not breaking my damned word." His voice was as soft as a whisper, and Ryouga had to strain to hear his words. "Ryouga, listen to me. I can take care of myself. Please, go ahead without me. We both know I'll just slow you down." 

"But Ranma - " 

"This is nothing. I'll be fine as soon as the wound stops bleeding. Believe me, I've been injured before." 

Ryouga glared at him. "By bullets?" 

Ranma smiled weakly. "No. But it's almost the same thing." He sobered. "Ryouga, please. You'll travel faster alone. I - I'm afraid we might be too late." 

"This wouldn't happen if you hadn't insisted on fighting those thugs, Ranma," Ryouga snapped. 

"I couldn't leave those girls alone, and you damn well know it, man. You would've done the same." He glared at Ryouga. "C'mon, stupid, go on ahead! I'll be fine." 

"But how will you get back?" 

"Let me just rest a while," Ranma murmured. "I promise, I'll leave as soon as I can." He stared up at the sky. "Quickly, Ryouga, while you have enough light. Get the list of instructions from my pack. Go straight to Dr. Tofu's clinic. He'll know what to do." 

Ryouga continued to stare at Ranma, his eyes clouded with apprehension. Ranma tried for a weak smile. "I'd almost think you're worried about me, P-chan," he murmured. 

Ryouga glared at him. "I am not worried about a bastard like you," he snapped indignantly. 

"Good." Ranma shoved Ryouga's arm aside, and pressed his hand against his wound, gritting his teeth against the pain. Ryouga watched him with pity. Ranma stared at him pleadingly, his blue-gray eyes filled with pain. "Please, Ryouga. Akane'll die in a few days if you don't get there soon." 

Ryouga finally nodded. "I'm doing this for Akane," he told Ranma. "And you'd better keep your end of the bargain." 

"And tell Akane not to worry," Ranma said softly. "Tell her...tell her..." 

"Tell her you love her?" Ryouga finished quietly. 

Ranma stared at him. He did not reply, but Ryouga knew, and he could see in Ranma's eyes, what his answer would be. What it had always been. 

Ryouga bowed his head, standing up. He retrieved the list of instructions for the antidote from Ranma's backpack, glancing at it briefly, before stuffing it into his bag. He was strapping the backpack behind him when Ranma called his name. 

Ryouga did not turn to face him as Ranma spoke. "For once in your goddamned life, Hibiki, don't get lost," he bit out angrily. "Give me your word." 

Familiar anger surged through Ryouga. "Yeah, you're a lot better, Ranma," he snapped. "At least I'll try my best to get back to Akane on time. At least I'm not giving up." He strode away angrily. 

Ranma watched Ryouga until he disappeared downhill. *Yeah, I'm giving up,* he thought bitterly. *I'm giving up the best thing I ever had in my entire life.* He fought against the onslaught of pain, closing his eyes briefly. 

He gingerly lay down on his back, careful not to bump his arm against his wound. His hand slipped inside his shirt, clutching the photograph of Akane he kept. He didn't need to look at it, though. 

Despite the agonizing pain tearing through his entire body, a smile crept across his lips as he thought of her. He remembered the last time he'd seen her, in Dr.Tofu's clinic, her face pale and sickly, the stubborn spirit he'd loved most about her gone from her eyes, but still, it was the most beautiful face he'd ever seen. 

His hand tightened on the photograph. He didn't want to see her like that. Instead, his mind conjured up an image of Akane in the photograph. That was the memory of Akane, looking so happy and vibrant and full of life, he wanted to carry with him, from then to eternity. 

*I'm sorry, Akane,* he thought. *I should have told you I love you when I had the chance. Now it's too late. I'm sorry.* 

Despite his resolve, her tear-streaked face burned itself into his mind, the pain in his heart almost eclipsing the physical pain tearing through his body. "You promised, Ranma," her voice called out, filled with overwhelming despair. "You promised me you'd come back." 

Tears gathered in his eyes, and Ranma drew in a labored breath, his chest rising and falling heavily. *Akane...* 

He was breaking his promise to her. It was unthinkable to him, to soil his honor by being unfaithful to any promise he made. *But I don't want you to die,* he cried silently. *I know I won't make it, so I'm giving up... Oh, gods, Akane, you don't know how much it hurts to give you up, but - anything for you, Akane. Just so that you'll live. Anything...* 

Ranma could still hear Akane's voice in his head as he was starting to lose the battle with oblivion. "Stay awake, Ranma! Dammit, don't leave me." 

Ranma closed his eyes, causing tears to spill down his cheeks. The sound of Akane's voice continued to echo in his head. He could hear her tears, the anguish in her voice. He tried to concentrate on her image to keep him awake, but it was too hard. His body felt numb. He was so tired. 

"Akane," he breathed. "I'm so sorry..." 

*I did it for you, Akane. Please don't hate me for this. I love you...* 

Ranma slowly slipped into darkness, his mind filled with images of a grief-stricken Akane, her eyes brimming with tears. *I'm sorry, Akane. Please forgive me.* 

**** 

Nabiki sat beside Akane's bed, her head bent as she scribbled something in her notebook. 

"Nnnnah...Rraaa..." 

She glanced up, surprised. Akane was tossing restlessly in her sleep, as she mumbled words incoherently. Beads of perspiration started to form on her forehead. 

*She must be having quite a nightmare,* Nabiki thought, frowning. 

She edged her chair closer, reaching out to draw the sheets over Akane's body. Soon, she started to quiet down, as her breathing began to even out to a normal pace. 

Outside, a sudden gust of wind blew hard, making the leaves in the tree rustle softly, and the curtains in Akane's room started to sway along with the rhythm. Nabiki stood up to close the window, and after another glance at Akane, she retrieved her school bag and left the room to go home. 

Akane continued in her slumber, and this time, no nightmares came to haunt her. She lay quiet and serene, her dark hair splayed over the stark white of her pillow. 

Later, Tofu would announce that Akane had slipped into a coma.   
  
  


*** End CHAPTER 5 *** 

   [1]: mailto:stiffanie@mailcity.com
   [2]: http://www.angelfire.com/sd/Ranmafanfic/index.html



	6. Someone from the Past

Waiting For You   
A Ranma 1/2 Fanfic By [Stiffanie Flores][1] Homepage: [Ranma Fanfiction by Stiffanie ][2]

Disclaimer : Ranma 1/2 and all characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi. This fanfic is written for enjoyment and self-fulfillment purposes only. 

Chapter 6:  
Someone from the Past   
  


Ryouga pushed a low branch out of his way, glancing around. "Damn," he muttered to himself. He mumbled a couple of profanities, cursing his sense of direction. 

*How am I going to get back to Akane on time?* 

An image of Ranma sprang in his mind. Ranma, staring up at him, his face twisted in pain. Ranma, lying in his own blood, his eyes glinting with determination. 

He had promised Ranma, and if nothing else, Ryouga Hibiki honored his promises. He had to get back to Akane. After he made sure she gets the cure, he would hunt for that fiend who had inflicted Akane with the poison. He would turn the world upside down, do Akane justice, for what she had suffered through. 

She would then realize his love for her. He, Ryouga Hibiki, had brought her back her cure, not her fiance, Ranma, who was supposed to protect and defend her. She would realize that no one would ever love her like Ryouga did, then, she'd see Ranma as the despicable, lying cheat that he is, and then, she'd.... 

A voice in Ryouga's head chastised him, dashing away all his daydreams. Ranma loved Akane. 

No! Ryouga shook his head violently, refusing to accept the fact. How could Ranma love Akane? Ranma was an arrogant jerk, who cared for nothing except winning any stupid battle he joined, and picking on poor lost souls like himself. Could anyone like him have a place in his heart for love? Ranma only cared about martial arts. He always hurt Akane, and insulted her. No, he could never love - 

Ranma's last words echoed in Ryouga's mind. "Please, Ryouga...Go on without me....Dammit, Hibiki, don't get lost..." 

Against his will, he remembered the shock he'd felt when Akane disappeared, after she'd touched the Kinjakan. His terror had been nothing compared to Ranma's. Ranma had merely stood still, clutching Akane's clothing in his hands, and he would have died from Saffron's attack if Ryouga hadn't pulled him away. 

In spite of himself he'd grown to respect Ranma, if not for the man he is, then for his skills. He was easily the best fighter Ryouga had ever known. However, it wasn't so easy to admit that the woman you loved was gone to the one man you've spent half your life hating. 

How could he take away the one woman who'd cared about Ryouga, who'd shown him kindness and been his friend? The one woman whom Ryouga had ever loved, and wished with all his heart that she would love him back? 

A rumbling noise filled the silence, and Ryouga glanced up in surprise. *What was that?* he thought, looking around him. 

It was fairly quiet, however, the only sounds being the rippling of water coming from the nearby stream. He continued walking, surveying his surroundings carefully, praying that his feet would choose the right direction and lead him back to Akane soon. Akane... 

His mind conjured up an image of her smiling face. Of course, she was smiling and hugging P-Chan to her bosom in the image, but his mind edited that part out. He grinned blissfully as he imagined her welcoming him back with her beautiful smile. 

A sharp cry pierced the silence, shaking him out of his reverie. A giant platypus appeared, only the head visible atop the massive trees, and it was glaring at Ryouga. He gulped, frozen in his tracks. 

The animal let out another sharp squeal as it lunged for him. Screaming, he ran as fast as his legs would take him, cursing his bad luck. He could feel the animal's warm breath on his back, and its huge footsteps echoed throughout the woods. 

A voice nagged at Ryouga, reminding him of some pertinent fact he'd forgotten and left at the back of his head. But he ignored the nagging voice, his mind intent on getting away from the animal. 

Suddenly he felt the ground give away beneath his foot, and he stumbled, falling face-first on the ground. From the trees above him, a net was released, unloading a pile of rocks on him. 

The rocks only managed to stun him for a while, and when he looked up, he saw the animal looming over him, its eyes glittering ominously. Its beak aimed for his head, and he screamed, closing his eyes as he threw his arms forward to block its attack. 

It never came. He heard the animal's grunt of pain, followed by the cracking sound of wood hitting against bone. Cautiously, he opened his eyes. 

Through the surrounding mist, he saw the form of a young man, standing beside the fallen animal, holding a broom over his right shoulder. A sense of déjà vu swept over him. He remained lying on the ground, shocked still, trying to catch his breath. 

The young man stepped forward, coming into clear view. Ryouga caught his breath as he stared, slack-jawed. The other man glared at him. "What are you doing here? This place is dangerous..." 

Ryouga slowly raised his hand and pointed a finger at him. "You're..." he whispered, his voice filled with wonder. 

The young man narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Who are you?" 

**** 

"Poisoned, you say?" 

Shinnosuke's grandfather was sitting up on his bed, listening to Ryouga's story. 

Ryouga was sitting on the floor opposite Shinnosuke. The old man shook his head in regret. "Poor girl," he murmured. "Such a sweet girl, that Akane." 

Ryouga nodded. "Don't worry, grandpa. I've got Akane's cure right here," he said, patting his pack beside him. "Ranma gave it to me to bring back to Akane. All I gotta do is get back to the Tendos on time." He winced. "Such a big feat, for someone like me." 

The old man scratched his bald head. "Ranma? Akane's fiance? Why isn't he on this journey with you?" He noticed his grandson wincing at the mention of the other man, but he ignored the telltale reaction. 

Ryouga quickly related the tale of his journey with Ranma to find the cure, and of Ranma's last words to him telling him to leave. 

"You left a wounded man alone?" Shinnosuke's grandfather asked, raising his brows. 

"Oh no," he assured. "I tended to his wounds. He insisted that he was fine, and since I was pretty worried about Akane, I agreed to go on ahead." He almost grinned. "Ranma is almost as stubborn as me. It was easier to agree than to argue all day." 

Ryouga looked out the window, noticing the moon shining brightly. "He should be on his way back home by now," he said, almost to himself. Hastily, he started to stand up. "I should get going myself -" 

"Why don't you stay here for the night?" the old man offered. "It would be better than spending the night in the woods." 

"But, I-" 

"It's the least we could do, after how you helped us with the Orochi last year. We insist. Don't we, Shin-boy?" 

Shinnosuke looked up, seeming distracted. "Wha-" 

His grandfather shook his head. "Never mind. *I* insist. Stay the night." 

"Well, if you're sure...thanks." 

**** 

Endless blue sky loomed above him, the stars winked merrily, and the moon shone brightly, casting a dim glow over his features. But the young man was oblivious to all this. 

Crouched down on the ground, all he could see was a beautiful young girl with blue-black hair, her brown eyes shining as she smiled at him. He remembered the concern in her eyes, when she thought he was dying. He remembered holding her hand, the feel of her smooth skin beneath his palm. 

He shook himself out of his thoughts as he heard footsteps coming his way. Soon, his grandfather gingerly lowered himself to the ground beside him. 

"It's cold out here, Grandpa," he said, without looking up. "What are you doing out here?" 

"What are *you* doing out here?" his grandfather shot back. 

"I can't sleep." 

The old man huffed. "Of course not. You're thinking about her again." 

He flinched. "What are you talking about?" 

His grandfather bopped him on the head. "Akane, you idiot. Do I have to say her name out loud for you to acknowledge it?" 

Shinnosuke hesitated before answering. "I was just thinking how awful it must be for her, being poisoned and all." He paused. "I hope the guy would make it back on time." 

"Why don't you go along to make sure, then?" 

"Huh?" He whipped his face around to face his grandfather. 

"You heard me," he answered calmly. "Why don't you go along?" 

A dozen conflicting emotions reflected on his face, as he stared at his grandfather. He was worried about Akane. He was afraid the fool would be too late. He could see her again. He still lov- No! She didn't love him. 

He looked away. "I'd better not." 

"Why not, Shin-boy? I know you want to see her." 

He shook his head vehemently. "No." 

"Shinnosuke-" 

"No!" he shouted. "I can't see her. I have to forget about her!" 

He looked into his grandfather's eyes, begging him to understand. "I want to see her. I want to make sure she's fine. But seeing her would make me want to love her again. And I can't do that. She doesn't love me. She doesn't!" 

"Shinnosuke." His grandfather laid a hand on his shoulder. "You still love her." 

He buried his face in his hands. "I-" 

The old man sighed. "Akane's a wonderful girl." 

"She is," he answered, his voice muffled. He straightened, leaning his head on the wall behind him. "There are times when I think about her, and I regret that I never told her how I felt. Maybe I could have had a chance. If I just told her, maybe..." He broke off, shaking his head. "But she loves him. I just know she does." 

"Yes, I believe she does." His grandfather paused, looking at him. "He loves her too, you know. Should that comfort you?" 

Shinnosuke was quiet for a while before answering. "Yeah, I guess, a little. Because if he didn't love her, I'd fight heaven and hell for her. But he does. And they're happy." 

"It's good that you can accept that, Shinnosuke. You can move on." 

"Yeah, whatever." 

Both were quiet for a while, lost in their own thoughts. 

"Grandpa-" 

"Shinnosuke-" 

They stared at each other awkwardly. Shinnosuke smiled weakly. "You go first," he offered. 

His grandfather nodded. "I think you should go see her." Shinnosuke opened his mouth to say something, and he held his hand up, signaling for silence. 

"Let me finish," he said. "You're worried about Akane, I know. So am I. You should go see her. Don't think about anything else. Because the fact is, Shin-boy, she needs you right now, though she might not know it." He smiled at his grandson. "You're the only one who can get her back her cure on time, Shinnosuke. No one else but you." 

He patted his grandson's shoulder. "Akane's a very sweet girl, as I said. She thinks of you as a friend. She'd be glad to see you again." 

Shinnosuke smiled wistfully. "Yeah, she will be." He glanced at his grandfather. "I was going to say that I decided to leave tomorrow with Ryouga." 

"Huh?" 

He smiled slightly at his grandfather's dumbfounded expression. "Let's just say that I'm putting Akane's well-being above everything else right now." 

His eyes dimmed. "Never mind that she doesn't love me. What matters most is that she's fine. I want to make sure she'll be okay." 

He turned to his grandfather. "What about you?" 

The old man waved his hand in the air. "I'll be fine, don't worry. And I'll take care of everything while you're gone." He smiled at his grandson. "I'm glad you could make the right decision, Shinnosuke." 

"Are you sure you'll be okay, grandpa?" 

"Of course I'll be fine. Don't worry." 

**** 

Ryouga bowed. "Thank you for your hospitality," he intoned formally. "But I must be leaving now." 

He turned to leave, but Shinnosuke's voice stopped him. "Wait. I'm coming with you." 

Ryouga stared at him incredulously. "Why?" 

Shinnosuke met his gaze levelly. "No offense, man, but I want to make sure you get back to Akane on time." 

Ryouga fought down a wave of irrational anger. *He's right,* he told himself. *You need his help. You'll never make it back on time on your own.* 

He remembered the short time he'd spent in Ryugenzawa some time ago. They weren't very fond memories, as he'd spent almost every waking moment worrying that Akane was falling in love with the other guy. Looking at Shinnosuke now, Ryouga wondered if he was still in love with Akane. 

He shook himself out of his thoughts and nodded. "Arigato. I could use your help." 

Shinnosuke turned to his grandfather. "I'll be back as soon as I can," he promised. 

The old man nodded. "Don't worry about me, Shin-boy," he told him. "Just hurry back to Tokyo, and make sure Akane gets her antidote. I'll be fine here." 

Shinnosuke shifted under his backpack. "Shall we go?" he asked Ryouga. 

"Sure." Ryouga turned to walk down the path. 

"Uh...Ryouga? The village is *this* way," Shinnosuke called out. 

Ryouga reddened, and turned in the right direction. "Maybe you should lead the way?" he suggested sheepishly. 

Shinnosuke's grandfather watched the two young men disappear down the path. "Be careful, my boy," he whispered to himself. 

**** 

The Tendos, plus Genma, were gathered in Akane's room, looking anxiously at each other. 

"Oh my," Kasumi said. "Why aren't they here yet? Why, it's beginning to get dark out, and..." 

"...and if they don't get back on time, I'll make them regret it for the rest of their lives," Nabiki finished, frowning. 

Genma sat down on a chair, crossing his arms over his chest. "That ungrateful son of mine," he said sourly. "When he gets home, I'll..." 

Nabiki sighed. "I'll go down and check if Dr. Tofu has any news," she announced, darting out of the room. 

She met Tofu coming up the stairs. "Dr. Tofu! What'll we do? It's getting late, and..." 

Abruptly she trailed off, staring at an unfamiliar young man coming up behind Tofu. "I'm sorry, but-" 

Just then, Ryouga appeared behind the stranger. Nabiki's eyes narrowed. "You! What took you this long, you-" 

Tofu held up his hand as he walked past her briskly. "No time for that, Nabiki. They brought back the formula for the antidote, and I'll just bring Akane down to the examination room." 

Nabiki watched Tofu walk off and turn the corner to Akane's room. She turned to look at Ryouga and his companion, focusing her gaze instead on the stranger. "And you're..." 

"My name is Shinnosuke," he replied. "I-" 

"Shinnosuke!" Nabiki exclaimed. "From Ryugenzawa?" 

He frowned. "Er...do I know you?" 

Nabiki shook her head. "Akane wasn't kidding, was she?" She smiled. "I'm Nabiki, Akane's sister." 

Shinnosuke nodded. "Glad to meet you." 

"Forgive me for asking, but what are you doing here?" 

Ryouga cleared his throat. "Long story, Nabiki-san. Perhaps-" 

"K-K-Kasumi!" 

Nabiki flinched at the sound. "Great, I forgot!" she groaned. Turning around, she sprinted for Akane's room. Ryouga and Shinnosuke followed close behind. 

She took one look at Tofu's fogged glasses, and grabbed his arm and started to drag him from the room. "Come on, Doctor," she said. 

Nabiki looked at Shinnosuke. "You! Get Akane and follow us down." 

Shinnosuke nodded and stepped closer to Akane's bed. He looked down at her pale, lifeless figure and flinched inwardly. "Akane..." 

"Shinnosuke!" Nabiki snapped impatiently. 

He glanced up. "Sorry!" He carefully gathered Akane in his arms, and followed Nabiki out of the room. 

Tofu's eyes began to clear halfway down the stairs. "Nabiki! What-" 

Nabiki nodded behind them. "We're bringing Akane down, Dr. Tofu. Perhaps you could continue your examination there?" 

Tofu nodded. As they reached the first floor, he led the way to the examination room, and gestured to the bed in the middle of the room. "Just leave Akane here and wait for me outside," he said, back to no-nonsense-good-doctor mode. 

Shinnosuke laid Akane gently on the bed, and for a while stood looking down at her, his heart aching at how pale and drawn she'd become, totally unlike the sweet, courageous girl he loved... 

He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up. "She'll be fine, now that you've brought the antidote," Tofu assured him. 

Shinnosuke nodded. He turned to leave the room. "I guess I'll just wait outside..." 

Tofu smiled. "That's fine, Shinnosuke." With that, he ushered Shinnosuke out, and pulled the curtains closed, shielding them from view. 

Shinnosuke came into the waiting room and saw Nabiki sitting on a couch. He went over and took a seat opposite her. 

"So," Nabiki said the moment he sat down. "What brings you here?" 

Shinnosuke closed his eyes. "Your friend Ryouga got lost and wandered near our home. I found him and brought him home with me. He told us about what happened, and I...decided to come and help him get back here on time." 

Nabiki sighed. "I'd guessed as much." She frowned. "But...whatever happened to Ranma?" 

He shook his head. "You'd have to ask Ryouga. All I know is that he was injured, and-" 

Nabiki's frown deepened. Just then, Ryouga came into the room, looking around him confusedly. Nabiki sighed. "We're here, Ryouga," she called. 

Ryouga looked up, relieved. "Found you at last!" He slumped down on a seat beside Nabiki on the long couch. "You've no idea how long I've been-" 

Nabiki snorted. "Knowing you, I think I do." 

Ryouga scowled. "You sound too much like Ranma for my liking." 

Nabiki smiled. "Speaking of Ranma," she drawled, "mind telling us what happened in that mountain? Why didn't he come back with you?" 

"Yes, boy," Genma spoke up, coming into the room behind Soun. "Where's my son?" 

Ryouga nodded, and waited until Soun and Genma took their seats before he began. Then, he told them everything, not leaving a single detail out. 

Everyone was quiet for a while after Ryouga finished his story. Finally, Genma spoke up. "So - you just left him up there? Alone?" His voice rose on the final word. 

Ryouga flinched. "He told me to," he said defensively. "And you have to admit, we had no choice. We almost didn't make it on time as it is," he added, gesturing towards himself and Shinnosuke. 

"You should have at least helped him get proper treatment before you left him, Ryouga," Nabiki said. She leaned back and sighed. "Who knows where he is right now?" 

"Don't worry, Nabiki-san," Ryouga said. "He was sitting up and talking when I left him. He should have been able to get himself to people to get help." 

"Still," Shinnosuke said, participating in the discussion for the first time, "it's a pretty long way down to the village. And if he's wounded..." 

Nabiki smiled. "He's probably fine, Shinnosuke. I saw Ranma take a nasty hit from Kunou once, and he's still able to stand up and walk around like nothing happened." 

She frowned. "Then again, it'll probably better if someone goes to look for him. Just to make sure..." 

All eyes turned to Genma, who flinched under the multiple stares he was getting. "What?" 

"He's your son," Ryouga said. "You should go." 

"Hey! You're the one who left him behind!" 

Ryouga glared at him, but before he could retort, Nabiki beat him to it. "Uncle Genma, if Ryouga went looking for him, he'll just get lost and cause us more trouble. We'd have *two* lost little boys to look for then." 

Ryouga shot her a nasty glare, to which Nabiki just smiled. Soun slapped his friend's back. "It's best if you go, Genma," he said. "Think what Nodoka would say if you refused," he suggested. 

Genma paled at the mention of his wife, who was away visiting a friend for a few days. "All right," he said resignedly. "I'll leave tomorrow morning." 

"Oh, and another thing," Nabiki said, "no one tells Akane about this, okay?" She glanced around the room. "No sense making her worry about him right now." 

Everyone nodded agreement. Just then, Tofu poked his head into the room. "I'm sorry, everyone, I should have said this earlier," he remarked. "It's going to take some time still, and maybe you could go home and grab some dinner, and come back afterwards. I'll have the results ready for you then." 

Nabiki nodded and stood up. "Thanks, Dr. Tofu." She looked around at the rest of the room's occupants. "Well, come on," she told them. "I, for one, am starving." 

Soun nodded at Ryouga and Shinnosuke and smiled. "You two boys are welcome to have dinner with us. It would be our pleasure to have you." He frowned. "Then again, you don't have anyplace to stay for the night, do you?" 

Both guys shook their heads. Soun nodded. "It's done, then. You can stay at my house." 

"Daddy," Nabiki interjected, "we don't have any more room inside the house." She smiled at the two guys. "You can stay in the dojo perhaps, if you don't mind." 

Shinnosuke started to shake his head. "No, it wouldn't be polite to impose..." 

Soun silenced him with a look. "No, young man, it wouldn't be polite to turn down our offer. It is the least we could do, after all you've done to help my daughter Akane." He shook his head. "It's done. You're staying at our dojo." 

Without another word, Soun swept past them, his good spirits restored after being assured of Akane's recovery. He started to banter good-naturedly with Genma, inviting him to another game of shogi before he left the next morning to look for Ranma. Ryouga and Shinnosuke were left behind looking at each other in indecision. 

"What do you think?" Shinnosuke asked. 

Ryouga shrugged. "I'm sure it's okay. After all, Ranma and his dad have been free-loading guests in their house for more than a year, and I'm sure they're used to having visitors." He smiled. "Besides, it's better than camping out in the park again." He grimaced. "That is, if I can find my way to the park on my own." 

Shinnosuke nodded. "I guess." He looked up as Nabiki slapped him on the shoulder as she walked past him. 

"Hurry up if you don't want to miss out on dinner," she called back. Smiling, she asked, "That's right. You haven't tried Kasumi's cooking yet, have you?" 

He shook his head as he and Ryouga hurried to catch up with her. "Is it as good as Akane's cooking?" he asked, smiling at the memory. 

Nabiki stopped in her tracks and stared at him. "Akane's cooking? *Good*?" 

Shinnosuke nodded. "Well, yes. Her miso soup was delicious." Then, he frowned. "Well, there were those snacks she brought on our trip, and they tasted awful. But she got so upset after that, and I thought maybe it was something wrong with *me*..." 

Nabiki laughed. "Akane's cooking is always terrible, Shinnosuke. So much that only Ranma's able to stomach it on a regular basis." 

"But what about the miso soup?" 

She shrugged. "It was probably one of those rare times that she managed *not* to ruin the recipe. It's happened once or twice. In fact," she added, "she did manage to cook a pretty decent meal of curry right before she left for Ryugenzawa, and then everyone refused to eat it, and we all thought she'd run away because of it." She smiled. "But of course we were wrong. She went to Ryugenzawa to find you." 

He frowned. "I don't understand." 

Nabiki held up two fingers in front of him. "Two thousand yen, and I'll tell you." 

Shinnosuke looked at her, confused, as Ryouga's laughter boomed beside him. 

**** 

Shinnosuke was sitting on the couch, half-heartedly trying to play poker with Ryouga and Nabiki, when Tofu came into the room, smiling. 

"Good news," he announced. "Akane's awake, and with a couple of days of bed rest, I expect her to be back to normal." 

Shinnosuke exhaled the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, and looked around at the other occupants of the room. An expression of naked relief passed through Ryouga's features, and Nabiki only smiled faintly. Akane's father, Shinnosuke noticed, was starting to cry uncontrollably, while Genma unsuccessfully tried to quiet him down. 

"Can we see her?" Nabiki asked. 

Tofu nodded. "But only for a little while," he cautioned. "I want her to get plenty of rest." 

Nabiki turned to her father. "Daddy, either you stop crying right now or you're not allowed to come up to Akane's room," she threatened. 

Soun sniffled and wiped his eyes with his hands. "Okay." 

"We're going up first, and you and Uncle Genma can come in after us," Nabiki told him. She turned and motioned at Shinnosuke. "Come on," she invited. "Let's go see Akane." 

**** 

The first thing Shinnosuke noticed was the paleness of her complexion. She lay silent and still in her bed, but her breathing sounded soft and steady, and he relaxed a little. 

"Akane?" Nabiki said softly. "We're here. Can you hear me?" 

Shinnosuke watched as her eyes slowly opened, and a faint smile touched her pale lips as she looked up at her sister. "Nabiki," she said softly. 

Nabiki smiled. "Nice to know you still remember me," she remarked dryly, a trace of her normal humor returning. "We can definitely rule out amnesia as a side effect." 

Her half-lidded gaze flicked across the room with agonizing slowness, until at last she was staring right at Shinnosuke. He tried to force his numb features to smile as he left her gaze settle on him. 

"Shin-" she whispered. "Shinno..." 

"That's right," he answered. "It's me, Akane." 

"Shinnosuke came back with Ryouga with your cure, Akane," Nabiki told her. 

Akane didn't seem to hear her, as her gaze continued to scan the room anxiously. Finally, she turned to look at Nabiki. "Ran...ma?" 

"Don't worry about him, sis," she replied. "You just concentrate on getting well, and before you know it, we'll have you out and back home in..." 

"Ranma?" she insisted, her voice quavering. 

"Ranma...was a little delayed," Shinnosuke improvised, trying to smile reassuringly at Akane. "He..." 

"He had a few things to take care of, so he asked me to go on ahead," Ryouga put in. "Then..." 

"Then Ryouga ran into me, and I accompanied him back here to Tokyo," Shinnosuke finished. 

Nabiki sighed and looked at Akane. "He should be back in a couple of days, Akane," she told her. "Uncle Genma's leaving tonight to bring Ranma home." 

Akane was quiet, and Nabiki tried for a smart remark. "After all, Akane, you wouldn't want him to see you a little under the weather, do you?" she joked. "In a few days you'd be back to your old self, and then you can show him who's boss." 

"I am *not* worried about that baka." 

"Good," Nabiki replied. "He can take care of himself. Soon he'll be here looking smug and confident and make you regret you even asked for him to come back." 

She closed her eyes and sighed, her voice becoming softer and softer. "But I want him...to come...back..." 

Shinnosuke looked away, trying to mask the distress her voice evoked in him. It was a mistake to come in here, he knew. He knew it from the start, but he had to stay and make sure she really was okay, although he should have left the moment he got Ryouga back safely into the doctor's clinic... 

"She's asleep," Nabiki said softly. "Just as well. No use having her worry about him right now..." 

*That's right,* Shinnosuke thought. *No use worrying about her right now. I did my job, she's cured, and I can go home and resume my life where I left it off, fighting giant animals to protect the village people...* 

He tried to ignore the empty feeling building up in his chest and silently followed Nabiki and Ryouga out of the room. 

**** 

"What are you doing?" 

Shinnosuke turned to see Ryouga standing behind him, looking down at him in confusion. 

"I'm going home," he replied, quickly stuffing his things into his backpack. "I did what I had to do, and I have to go home. Grandfather's waiting for me..." 

"Surely you can stay a while longer," Ryouga said. "There's no hurry for you to get back..." 

"Shinnosuke." 

Both guys turned around at the soft, feminine voice. Kasumi was standing in the dojo's doorway, staring intently at them. Shinnosuke stood up from his knelt position, and watched as Kasumi walked towards him. 

"Why are you leaving so soon?" she asked. 

"I left my grandfather alone in the forest, Kasumi-san, and I promised I'd come back after..." 

"Is that the only reason?" 

"I have imposed on your hospitality long enough," he mumbled and looked away. He couldn't very well tell her he was still in love with her sister and the way she was pining for another man was tearing him to pieces, could he? 

"Well." Shinnosuke looked up as Kasumi spoke. "If that's the only reason, I must insist you stay a bit longer." 

"But-" 

She smiled gently at him. "We have yet to repay you for coming to our aid, Shinnosuke. You may very well have saved Akane's life." 

He reddened. "I didn't do anything. I just helped Ryouga..." 

"Nonetheless, we owe you a debt, and you must stay until we have repaid it." She smiled again, and Shinnosuke found it hard to refuse. "No buts. Stay, please." 

Without waiting for his answer, she turned and left the dojo, leaving Shinnosuke staring after her helplessly. 

"Kasumi's words are treated as if edicts from the gods themselves," Ryouga remarked, smiling at Shinnosuke. "You might as well stay for a few more days. What harm can it do?" 

Except that it'll put him in the continued presence of the woman he loved but he knew he could never have? No harm, indeed. 

*But you want to stay,* a voice in his head insisted. *Admit it, that's what you wanted, so you could be with her, and maybe you still have a chance...* 

*Shut up,* he replied mentally. *Who wants to listen to you anyway?* 

The voices in his head continued to cackle gleefully, and Shinnosuke sighed in submission. *Maybe just a little...* 

**** 

"I don't see why I have to do this," Genma grumbled. "My son can take care of himself." 

"Maybe so, Genma," Soun replied. "But it is a father's duty to look after his son. It would be best if you went to see why he hasn't come back yet." 

"He's depriving his old man of his well-deserved rest," Genma continued to complain. "When I see him, I'm gonna tell him a thing or two..." 

"You do that, Genma, old friend," Soun interrupted. "Here comes your ride." 

Soun practically pushed him inside the train, and waved goodbye cheerfully as the train began to pull away from the station. 

**** 

Akane came down to dinner. Kasumi smiled brightly at her sister. "Akane! You're feeling better now?" 

She nodded. "But shouldn't you be resting upstairs?" Kasumi fussed. "You've only been home this morning, and..." 

Akane laughed. "I'm fine, oneechan. Don't worry. Any news about Ranma?" 

Kasumi shook her head. "I'm afraid not, Akane. Don't worry, though," she assured her. "I'm sure Uncle Saotome would bring Ranma back anytime now." 

Nabiki swirled her can of orange soda. "You're looking pretty worried, sis," she commented. "I mean, for someone whom you've insisted you hated for the past several months." 

Akane glanced at her sister. "I never said I hated Ranma, oneechan." She paused, thinking. "Although, he does make me so angry most of the time." 

Nabiki shrugged. "It's the same thing." 

Kasumi smiled gently. "You should have seen him during the first few days you were unconscious, Akane," she told her. "He was really worried." 

"I know." Akane knitted her brow in concern. "But shouldn't he be back by now?" 

She was snapped out of her thoughts by Kasumi's voice. "Akane." 

"What?" 

She looked at Akane with a gentle reprimand in her eyes. "Be nice to Ranma when he comes back, Akane. He's your fiance." 

"I have been nice to that baka ever since -" 

"Akane." She shut up at her sister's soft spoken command. Kasumi shook her head at her. "Don't call him names, either. And don't intentionally pick fights with him." 

Kasumi put both hands on Akane's shoulders. "He saved your life, Akane. He risked his own by going to look for your cure. Does that sound like an uncaring fiance?" 

Akane shook her head. "No, oneechan. I guess, maybe I've always known he...cares...for me." 

Kasumi nodded approvingly. "Every time I see him fight for you, protect you, or risk his life to save yours, it makes me so happy, to know that your love is returned." 

Akane opened her mouth to protest. Kasumi put her finger on Akane's lips, motioning her to be quiet. "I know you love Ranma, Akane. I've known for months now. Don't lie to me." She smiled again. "You don't have to be afraid of expressing how you feel, Akane." 

Akane bowed her head, unable to think of anything to say. Kasumi gently shooed her out of the kitchen. "Go and rest a bit while I take care of dinner." 

Akane walked out to the dojo. She laid a hand on the wall, her eyes scanning the room. Ryouga and Shinnosuke's things were piled up at a corner of the dojo, but the two guys went out on some errands for Kasumi. She was alone. 

She slowly sank to the floor, leaning her head against the wall. She drew her knees up to her chest, and wrapped her arms around them. "Ranma," she whispered, staring up at the ceiling. 

She couldn't even come into the dojo now without thinking of Ranma. Here they often sparred - or at least Akane tried to hit him while Ranma effortlessly danced around all her blows, frustrating her to no end - and sometimes she would come in and stand at the doorway, watching with an unconscious smile on her face as Ranma went through his daily katas, his body moving with a fluid grace... 

*Please come back soon, Ranma. I'm waiting for you.* 

Kasumi was right. She did...love...Ranma. It was one of the secrets she kept locked inside her heart. She loved his strength, his confidence. She loved the way he would turn to her, and smile, his blue-gray eyes sparkling. She loved the way his hand would close over hers, his weather-beaten skin rough against her palm. 

So many times, she thought he cared for her. Back in Jyusenkyo, he'd thought she was dead. He'd held her body close, whispering tender words, his tears dampening her cheeks. Sure, he always insulted her, and made fun of her. He would hurt her so much with his careless words that she could never bear to share her secrets with anyone. How could she love such an insensitive baka? He was thoughtless and rude, and he was stringing along three other girls. 

But when Akane thought of Ranma, she didn't think of his thoughtless actions, or his ugly words. She would remember his gentle voice, his expressive eyes, his confident smile. Most of all, she would remember his stricken face, when she regained consciousness and stared up at him, his tear-filled eyes. 

And lately, when she thought of him, she would remember the naked concern in his eyes, as he watched over her in Dr. Tofu's clinic...or the delicious warmth of his body next to her, as he held her in his arms, and the his musky male scent filled her senses with euphoria... 

*I do love you, Ranma,* she thought. *I want us to have another chance. We deserve that much, after everything we've been through.* 

She remembered Kasumi's words. "Be nice to Ranma..." 

"I will," she promised herself. "Please, give us another chance." 

The front door creaked open, startling Akane. She got up, and poked her head out to see who it was. 

Genma Saotome walked in, carrying a large pack behind him. Akane was so happy to see him, she did not notice the glazed expression in his eyes. 

"Uncle Saotome!" she shouted. Hurriedly, she rushed out, almost bumping into him. 

Panting, Akane looked around. No one had come in after Genma, and the gate was still open. "Where's Ranma?" 

Genma slumped to the floor, a choked sob escaping his lips. Akane knelt down beside him, sick with worry. "Where's Ranma?" she repeated. Oh no. He might be hurt. Oh god, let him be okay. 

Kasumi, Nabiki, and Soun rushed out to greet Genma. Ryouga and Shinnosuke were right behind them. They all halted in their tracks as they saw Akane kneeling beside Genma. 

Ranma's father was sobbing uncontrollably, his broad shoulders shaking. Akane shook him violently, her heart beating wildly. 

"Saotome." Soun stood beside his friend. "Where's your son?" 

The bundle fell from Genma's shoulders, landing with a loud thud. The flap fell open, and Soun gasped in shock. 

Akane sat in front of Genma, and could not see what had agitated her father. "What is it, Dad?" 

Soun sank to the ground, his body shaking. He willed his hands to stop trembling, and reached for the pack. He slowly unwrapped the bundle, lifting out its contents. 

Akane saw the rumpled black hair, the torn red shirt. She released the breath she wasn't aware she'd been holding. Ranma. He's okay. 

She started to look up to smile with relief at her sisters, when she saw the panic-stricken expression on Kasumi's normally cheerful face. 

Something was wrong. Ranma's father was still crying. And Soun Tendo started to echo his friend's grief, his sobs ringing in her ears. 

*Why did Ranma's father bring him back in the sack?* 

Understanding dawned. Akane stared at Ranma, her heart thumping madly. No. It can't be. 

Slowly, she crawled over to Ranma's side, her hand trembling, as she reached out to lay a hand on his face. His skin felt cold to her touch. 

Her eyes flew to the dried blood on his shirt, and on the bandage wrapped around his abdomen. His silk shirt was ripped in places, and his arms and face were grimy with dirt. But despite his tousled hair, and the smudges of dirt on his face, there was a peaceful, even blissful expression on his face. 

She was staring at the dead body of her fiance. 

Akane opened her mouth to scream, but no sound came out. Her heart throbbed painfully, her lungs aching with the tears she was holding up inside. 

Kasumi came over to envelop Akane in her arms. Akane could hear her sister's soft sniffles, and her own eyes filled with tears. She sobbed softly, wrapping her arms around her sister. 

Nabiki stood beside Kasumi, watching Akane with pain-filled eyes. Akane's sobs escalated into racking, anguished cries of grief. She pulled away from Kasumi, and sank down to the ground beside Ranma, pulling his limp body to her chest, rocking him slowly. 

Her sisters watched with sorrow, as their father was of no help at the moment, lost in his own anguish. Kasumi was the first to react. 

She put her arms around Akane, gently disentangling Ranma from her iron grasp. She slowly pulled Akane to her feet, trying to lead her inside the house. 

Akane's eyes snapped into focus, and she shoved Kasumi away, screaming as she ran back to Ranma's side. 

Soun blocked her way, putting both his arms around his daughter. Akane shoved at his chest, sobbing. "Let me go!" She frantically elbowed his ribs, pushing him away. 

"Akane!" Soun held her close, trying to comfort her. "Akane, stop it!" 

Ryouga stood beside Shinnosuke, staring down at Ranma's body. He saw the bandage he'd wrapped himself around Ranma's wounds. He remembered Ranma gritting his teeth against the pain, urging Ryouga to leave. *Liar,* he thought. *You promised you'd come back. You tricked me.* 

Shinnosuke grabbed him by the shoulder. "You didn't tell me you left him for dead." 

"I didn't! He told me to leave without him. He said he was going to be all right!" 

"And you believed him?" 

"He lied to me!" Ryouga shouted. "He told me he'd come back. I didn't know he was going to die!" 

Tearing free of her father's grasp, Akane whipped around, screaming. "You killed him!" 

Ryouga paled, staring at her. "Akane! I didn't know he was going to die. I had to come back to save you!" 

"You killed Ranma! How could you let him die? You killed him..." Whimpering with maddened pain, she launched herself at Ryouga. She hit him with a mindless rage, screaming as tears coursed down her cheeks. "Why did you come back? You didn't have to save me!" 

Shinnosuke grabbed Akane's arms, pulling her away. Her bloodshot eyes shot icy daggers of hate at Ryouga. "Ranma's dead. You didn't have to come back. You didn't have to save me! Why did you have to save me..." She turned into Shinnosuke's embrace, sobbing as she pressed her face against his chest. 

The Tendou family watched in sorrow, as Akane stood in Shinnosuke's embrace, her thin shoulders shaking with grief. Akane was oblivious to everything around her, didn't even realize the arms holding her were that of a man she barely knew. All she knew was that the man she loved was dead, the same man whom she'd admitted loving only moments before. 

The wind blew a light breeze around them, sending scattered leaves flying about the yard. And as Akane wept, she heard the wind blowing in her ears, carrying with it a soft whisper of tender longing that tore at her heart. 

*Akane...* 

The word was a gentle caress, the voice painfully familiar and full of yearning, drugging her senses. Closing her eyes, she saw him standing aside, his eyes watching her, a half-smile on his handsome face. 

"Ranma..." she whispered, reaching out her hand. She groped at thin air frantically, longing to touch him. Ranma only smiled sadly, his eyes fixed on her, as he slowly faded away into etherealness. 

She cried his name one last time, as she slid down in Shinnosuke's arms in a dead faint.   
  
  


*** End CHAPTER 6 *** 

   [1]: mailto:stiffanie@mailcity.com
   [2]: http://www.angelfire.com/sd/Ranmafanfic/index.html



	7. Aftermath

Waiting For You   
A Ranma 1/2 Fanfic By [Stiffanie Flores][1] Homepage: [Ranma Fanfiction by Stiffanie ][2]

Disclaimer : Ranma 1/2 and all characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi. This fanfic is written for enjoyment and self-fulfillment purposes only. 

Chapter 7:  
Aftermath   
  
Sorry I never told you   
All I wanted to say   
Now it's too late to hold you   
'Cause you've flown away   
So far away...   
  
Never have I imagined   
Living without your smile   
Feeling, knowing you're here with me   
It keeps me alive   
Alive...   
  
Darling, I never showed you   
Assumed you'd always be there   
I took your presence for granted   
But I've always cared   
And I miss the love we shared...   
  
Sorry I never told you   
All I wanted to say...   
  


- One Sweet Day 

- by MARIAH CAREY & BOYS II MEN
  
  


They all sat around the dining table - Kasumi, Nabiki, Soun, Ryouga, Shinnosuke, and Genma. 

All were quiet as they sipped their tea. For once, Soun was noticeably calm and quiet, the tears and hysterical wailing conspicuously absent. As to why - no one knew, not even Nabiki. But then, that was the least of their concern for now. 

After a rather long, awkward silence, Soun cleared his throat. "So," he began hesitantly. "What happened, Saotome?" 

Genme remained silent, and Soun laid a hand on his shoulder. Genma looked up, his eyes still seeming unfocused. 

"Could you tell us what happened?" Soun asked again, quietly. 

Finally, Genma nodded. He lowered his gaze to the glass he held in both hands, and when he began speaking, his voice was a bare whisper. "I was walking through the village, when I overheard a few men talking about a young man who rescued two girls from bandits in the forest..." 

**** 

"That ingrate son of mine," Genma muttered under his breath as he stalked past three men standing at the corner of the road. "When I see him, I'll-" 

"Such a tragedy," Genma heard one of the men remark. "So young, too. I bet he wasn't even eighteen." 

"The girls said they heard the gunshot only minutes after they ran away," another man replied. 

Genma paused, pretending to pick a stone from his slipper, while he eavesdropped on their conversation. A sick feeling began to build up in the bottom of his stomach. 

"It was quite a sight," a third man said. "When we got there, the three criminals were all unconscious, and the young man..." He shook his head sadly. "I suspect he'd just died by the time we got there - the body was still warm." 

Genma froze, his face taking on the color of ash-white. 

"You should have seen it," the second man added. "His face wore the most serene expression, with almost a smile on his lips, and he was clutching a photograph tightly in his fist. A picture of a girl smiling." He shivered involuntarily. "It chilled me to the bone." 

"I wonder what really happened," the first man said. 

Genma began to tremble violently. He turned around with agonizing slowness, the sound of his heartbeat thundering wildly in his ears. He started to open his mouth to form a question, but no sound came out. 

The men noticed him. "Hey, old fellow," one of them said. "Can we help you?" 

Genma wiped his brows with a sweaty fist. "Pardon me," he managed to croak, but his voice was a bare whisper. "I'm looking for my son. He -" He swallowed painfully. "I think he's the young man you were talking about." 

**** 

"...and then they took me to him, to identify the body." Genma's hands shook as they held onto the glass of tea, and the warm liquid sloshed inside the container. "I was able to take him home right away." 

Again, everyone fell silent, as each tried to come to terms with the revelation. Ranma - dead. Two words no one ever expected to be linked together in a single sentence. For he was just so brave, so strong, so fast, death seemed like an alien concept for him. He'd defeated Musk princes and phoenix kings and all sorts of evil onis... and in the end, finally killed by bandits in a forest. Not even in formal combat, not even in a death any martial artist of his caliber would be proud of. Just not fair. 

"I didn't know." 

Nabiki looked up. It was Ryouga, sitting with his fists clenched in front of him. His eyes were closed, as if to ward off the pain. 

"I swear, I didn't know," he insisted, even though no one was arguing with him. "He told me to leave for Akane's sake, and I couldn't talk him out of it. 

"I wrapped his bandage myself," he continued, looking down at his clenched fists. "He was losing so much blood, I should have known... He told me he was okay!" he burst out. "He told me he would make it back on his own. He tricked me!" 

Nabiki felt the faint stirrings of panic begin to well up inside her. She looked across the table. "Ryouga." 

He didn't look up, so she spoke louder. "Ryouga!" 

Finally, he glanced up, his dark eyes shadowed. "What?" 

"When you left him," she began, "Ranma. He was ... you said he was sitting up and talking?" 

He nodded slowly. "He was trying to hide the pain, but I could see it in his eyes. He was losing so much blood..." 

Nabiki closed her eyes, feeling burdened by the amazing revelation that just struck her. 

"What's wrong, Nabiki?" Kasumi asked, noticing her distress. 

She spoke without looking up. "He knew." 

"What is it, daughter?" Soun asked. 

"Don't you get it? He knew!" She stood up and began to pace restlessly. "He knew he was going to die. So he sent Ryouga home with Akane's cure. And he probably pulled the tough guy act deliberately so that no one, especially Ryouga, would suspect the truth and go back for him, and Akane's recovery might be delayed." She paused, slapping a hand to her forehead. "I should have seen this the first time!" 

Genma blinked twice, his eyes wide as saucers. And then, his expression crumpled into one of despair. "My son!" he cried, tears welling in his eyes. 

Ryouga seemed too shocked by the realization to say anything. 

"Damn," Shinnosuke cursed softly. "I - I don't know what to say..." 

Nabiki laughed - but it was a sound without humor. "That's okay, I don't think anyone has anything nice to say about something like this." 

She looked around to survey the reactions of everyone in the room. She frowned as she saw Ryouga shaking his head, his mouth forming silent words over and over again. 

Nabiki looked at Kasumi and nodded. Kasumi, who was sitting beside Ryouga, put a hand on his shoulder gently. "Ryouga-kun?" 

He didn't speak, look up, or even move an inch from his spot. Kasumi looked back at Nabiki, her eyes troubled. 

Nabiki knelt down beside her sister. "Ryouga," she began, as gently as she could, "it wasn't your fault." 

He finally looked up, and Nabiki saw his eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "Isn't it?" he asked, a bitter tone in his voice. "I should have known. I shouldn't have left him alone. At least I should have gotten him to the village for help, before I went on ahead alone..." 

"Ryouga-kun," Kasumi said softly, her eyes sad, "please don't take Akane's words to heart. She was...in shock. She didn't know what she was saying. Please don't..." 

Ryouga shook his head. "I would never blame Akane, Kasumi-san. Please don't think that." He closed his eyes. "She was right. I shouldn't have left him behind. I blame myself." 

Nabiki sighed. "Cruel as it is to say this, but... Ranma made his own choice. We know that much. He made his choice, and he used you, but he had good intentions. He did it to save the girl he..." she trailed off, not wanting to get Ryouga more upset. 

"Loved?" Ryouga finished. Nabiki looked at him with questioning eyes, and he smiled a small, bitter smile. "He did. If I..." He paused to draw a deep breath. "If I didn't believe that before, there's too much proof before me to deny it now." 

Nabiki nodded slowly. "That's good," she said softly. 

"Besides," Ryouga added, almost to himself, as his gaze seemed to shift to some unknown place, "I heard it from his own lips. How can I possibly deny it now?" 

Nabiki, about to ask Genma another question, abruptly swiveled her gaze back to Ryouga. "What did you say?" 

"I said, Takanari-sensei asked him if he loved Akane, and he said yes." He closed his eyes. "And later, when he was wounded and telling me to leave, I brought it up again, he didn't deny it in a fit of shyness like he always did." 

Nabiki watched him critically. "You seem to understand Ranma pretty well, Ryouga." 

He smiled bitterly. "Know thy enemy, they always say." 

For the longest time, no one had anything else to say. Finally, Kasumi stood up and announced, "Since we're all here together, I'll go bring dinner out, and we can eat together." 

As she turned to go to the kitchen, Nabiki asked, "Should we call Akane?" 

Kasumi's eyes were downcast as she looked at Nabiki. "I'll set some food aside and bring her up something to eat later tonight," she answered. "She's still... resting." 

Kasumi headed into the kitchen, her eyes darkening as she remembered Akane's anguished suffering before she fainted in Shinnosuke's arms. She briefly wondered what her sister would do when she told her about this latest discovery. 

*Whatever forces are toying with my sister's fate,* she thought sadly, *please, haven't you done enough? How much more can a person take?* 

**** 

When Akane woke up, she was in her room, lying on her bed, the covers pulled up to her chin. 

*What - What happened? Why am I...* 

Memories came crashing down like a tidal wave, and she slumped back, feeling all the energy drained from her entire body. She stared blankly at the ceiling, making no move to get up. 

"Akane!" 

Kasumi had been sitting on a chair beside her sister's bed, keeping vigil. She sighed with relief when Akane opened her eyes. 

Akane didn't even turn to look at Kasumi. She just kept on staring into space, a look of apathy in her eyes. 

Kasumi's heart went out to her sister. She struggled to hold back her tears as she stood up. It was almost midnight. 

"It's late, Akane," she said softly, leaning over Akane's bed. "Would you like some dinner? I put some food away for you." 

Slowly, almost imperceptibly, Akane shook her head. 

"Oh." Kasumi looked down at her, unable to think of anything to say. 

There was a moment of silence, and Kasumi tried again to comfort her sister. "We're all very sad, Akane. I understand. I-" 

"I'd like to be alone. Please." Akane's voice was a bare whisper, but Kasumi heard her. 

She started to say something else, but the expression in Akane's eyes had her thinking otherwise. She nodded, walking slowly to the door. 

She glanced again at Akane as she turned the knob. "Good night, Akane," she whispered, quietly letting herself out. 

*It isn't just a bad dream,* Akane thought. *It's real. Ranma's dead.* 

*Dead.* Akane's hands balled into fists, gripping her blanket so hard her palms hurt. The word was so final, so forlorn. He'd left her, without so much as a goodbye. He'd left before she had the chance to tell him she loved him. 

She'd thought she had all the time in the world, to tell him she loved him. She'd taken it for granted that one day, they would marry, to continue her father's school. Sure, she'd protested the marriage every time the subject came up, but she had long ago accepted the fact that someday Ranma would be her husband. 

Now it was too late. That stupid, macho jerk was gone from her life forever. 

Akane sat up, grabbing the silver picture frame beside her bed, hugging it to her chest. She loved him so much, and she didn't even know if he loved her back. 

She remembered lying on the bed in Dr. Tofu's clinic, Ranma sitting beside her. He'd taken her in his arms, held her close to his body. She remembered the feel of his arms around her, remembered the sleek muscles moving beneath his shirt. She'd leaned against him, burying her face against his chest, loving his clean, male scent. 

She remembered Ranma coming to say farewell, telling her he was leaving to look for her cure. He'd promised to come back, and demanded that she not give up on him. He had looked so full of hope and determination. "Wait for me, Akane," he'd said. "I promise I'll come back to you. And you had better hold out until I come back." He'd smiled at her reassuringly, as he walked out her room, his backpack slung over his shoulder. 

Her first instinct had been right. She shouldn't have let him go. Just like that, he'd walked out of her life forever. He hadn't even said goodbye. 

God, she wished it didn't hurt so much... 

He had fought for her, just like he always did. Every time she was in danger, he would always come for her. So many times, with Toma, Kirin, even Shinnosuke, he'd yelled, "Akane is mine!" and her heart had burst with happiness. 

Time and again he would tempt fate to rescue her, to protect her. All those times, he'd narrowly escaped death. Until now. 

*He's mine,* Akane thought. *He's always been mine. How could I ever have doubted him?* 

Why was it that people discovered the truth only when it was too late? 

She ran her finger over Ranma's smiling face in the photograph, feeling the cool glass underneath her skin. She loved him, that insensitive jerk who always hurt her so much with his careless words. She had lived for his praise and his approval. She would wake up every morning wishing he would be nice to her for once, smile at her, hold her hand. She would try so hard to please him, to make him happy. Before Ranma had come into her life, martial arts was the only stable thing she had. But with Ranma's presence, even martial arts had become a skill she had to hone perfectly, to win his approval. 

Everything had been for Ranma. He was the single driving force in her life. Now that he was gone, what else was there left for her? 

All these years, her life had been out of her control. Her mother had died when she was very young, leaving Akane only memories of her cooking, her melodious voice, her soft smile. She'd desperately wanted to be the gentle woman that her mother had been, calm and graceful. Instead, she was a wreck in the kitchen, horrible with arts and crafts, and borrowing Ranma's words, she was "all-thumbs." 

Even in her personal life with Ranma, she wasn't given peace. As she'd tried to sort out her feelings for her fiance, other girls had tried to steal Ranma away from her, their tactics ranging from feminine charms, to openly trying to beat up Akane, trying to get her to give up Ranma. Strong martial artists would come to challenge Ranma, or kidnap Akane, throwing their lives into turmoil time and again. 

Now that she had finally admitted that she loved him, he was whisked away from her forever. The one person she had loved was gone forever, gone into a place where she could never follow. How was she supposed to go on without him? 

*Without him, what good is my life anyway?* 

Akane hid all her insecurities behind a facade of violent energy. Daddy had Kasumi to look after him, and Nabiki to support the house. She was only in the way, always bringing them trouble. She had good friends, loyal friends, but Akane imagined they wouldn't miss her for too long if she were gone. She had been proud of her martial arts skills, but with the arrival of Ranma and other powerful adversaries or allies like Shampoo, Ryouga, or Mousse, no one had looked at Akane with the same degree of awe and admiration they had shown before. 

Her dreams had once again been dashed away, her hopes crumbled, like sand castles helpless against the crashing waves of the ocean. Suddenly Akane felt very tired. Just like a man hanging over a cliff, holding on to a thick branch for dear life, waiting for help, as fate threw everything from wind to rain to scorching sun at him, soon the man would simply long for freedom, for release, and let go. 

In a daze, Akane slipped her feet into her slippers, and went down to the kitchen. It was pitch dark, except for the sliver of moonlight seeping through the curtains in the windows. 

She opened the cupboard, taking out a sharp knife. An invisible force guiding her, she retraced her steps, heading for the bathroom, and closed the door behind her. 

The sliding doors leading to the inner furo were open, and Akane sat down beside the bathtub, leaning her back against it. 

Just one slash, she thought, and it would be all over. She stared at her wrist, and the sharp knife glinting in the light. She imagined Ranma, holding out his hand to her. She wasn't even afraid. It was time. 

*I'm sorry, Ranma,* she thought. *You tried so hard to get me cured. But I don't want to live without you.* 

She closed her eyes briefly, bringing the knife down on her left wrist in a wide arc, slashing her flesh. A burning pain filled her senses, and Akane stared with transfixed eyes at the blood flowing from her arm. 

Like a broken doll, Akane's whole body sagged, and her left arm went limp, dropping the knife. The blade hit the tiles with a resounding clang. 

A gentle smile played across Akane's lips as she slowly drifted off into oblivion. *I'm coming, Ranma. Wait for me.* 

**** 

Nabiki yawned as she closed the book she'd been reading. She glanced at her clock, surprised to see that it was past midnight. It had been a horrible day. 

It had started out fine enough, with some of her clients paying off their debts, and Nabiki had been in a good mood. Akane had definitely been showing signs of recovery. 

And most of all - one of Nabiki's contacts had been able to come up with a clue as to the identity of Akane's mysterious poisoner. They'd made plans to meet the next day - Sachiko said that she'd found the address of the saleslady of the store where Akane'd seen the dress, and they were going to find her to get more clues, since Nabiki had found out that said saleslady had resigned from her job on the same day Akane was poisoned... 

And Akane had been in good spirits, awaiting the return of her fiance. Nabiki had thought that she had at last accepted that her future was with Ranma. Akane hadn't even tried to protest when Kasumi gently reminded her of the fact. She'd thought things were going to be fine from now on. 

Then Genma Saotome had come back, bringing with him the dead body of his son. It had been awful to watch Akane's suffering. She'd almost sighed with relief when Akane fainted. 

She knew what it was like, to lose someone she loved. She'd been old enough to understand when her mother died, unlike Akane, too young to know what death meant. 

Death meant losing someone for eternity, not being able to see him or touch him again... death meant burying someone six feet under the ground, along with all your hopes and dreams... 

And just when Akane was finally able to accept her feelings for Ranma, too... 

It had been such a long and winding road for both of them. Both too proud and stubborn to admit their feelings, too scared of the unfamiliar emotions each was able to stir in the other... 

Ranma did love Akane - even Ryouga had finally conceded the fact. She couldn't be too sure - after all, she had never heard him say it, and she hadn't known him for her entire life like she has Akane. But she's always been perceptive, and she's always been proud of her ability to read people so easily. 

He had his faults, sure - he was rude, insensitive, arrogant, and too impulsive for his own good. His temper was as explosive as Akane's - together, they made an 8-intensity earthquake seem like the gentle rocking of a baby's cradle. 

And yet, many a time Nabiki would catch him at an unguarded moment when he would look at Akane with a tender light in his eyes. He'd looked so crushed whenever he made her cry. He would get insanely jealous over any of Akane's admirers, even the besotted black pig Akane named P-chan. 

And Nabiki was actually quite fond of Ranma. At first he'd only been another victim to lure into her scams and her money-making schemes. She would look at him with distaste, thinking of his insensitivity, his gullibility, and of course, the enormous bills that Nabiki had to pay every time Ranma or one of his friends would wreck the house. 

But Nabiki had watched how Ranma gradually became the only man Akane had allowed to come so close to her, to enter her heart. She could see Ranma's devotion to his fiancee, despite the many girls panting after him. Nabiki understood the depth of Ranma's caring for her sister, as she watched him move heaven and earth to protect her. 

But most of all, Nabiki could see that Ranma had made her little sister happy - And that was what was most important. Akane may have a nasty temper, but she was never capable of lasting hatred. In the heat of anger, she'd snarl and curse and pound on something - usually Ranma - and promptly forget about it, after having vented her anger out. 

And the way she smiled at him when he was actually thinking things through before he opened his big mouth - it was funny to watch as Ranma's face started to take on the bright red shade of his silk shirt. 

Ranma's sudden death had shattered the order in the Tendo household. Soun was lamenting the loss of his future son-in-law. Kasumi, being naturally affectionate and kind, was undoubtedly grieving, the calm serenity of her world disrupted. As for Akane - 

Nabiki hoped that Akane would be able to cope with Ranma's death. Last time, she'd been too young to understand. But now... 

She sighed and got ready for bed. Akane was probably in her room sleeping, as she hadn't come down for dinner. Nabiki hoped her sister would be in better spirits come morning. 

*Yeah, right, Nabiki,* her inner voice scolded. *Dream on.* 

A clatter rang out in the silence, as Nabiki was sliding underneath her covers. She strained her ears, but nothing else disturbed the stillness of the night. 

Restless, Nabiki got out of bed, wanting to check out the noise. It was such an ungodly hour, who could be awake? 

She opened her bedroom door, and cautiously peeked out. The halls were empty. Her trained eye noted that Akane's door was open. She walked to Akane's room, switching on the light. Akane was gone. 

*Calm down,* she told herself. *She could be downstairs, getting a glass of milk.* 

She headed down to the kitchen, her footsteps light, careful not to wake anyone. 

Everything was pitch-dark, except for the sliver of light coming out from underneath the closed bathroom door. 

Nabiki hurried over to the door, thankful when the knob turned in her hand. She opened it a crack, and poked her head inside, a grim premonition building up in her heart. 

A scream welled up in her throat as she saw Akane, lying to the floor, blood gushing from a gash in her wrist. 

**** 

It was the day after Akane's suicide attempt. 

Nabiki's scream had echoed throughout the house, waking up everyone. Kasumi had called an ambulance, as Soun had stood aside, crying uncontrollably. 

The ambulance had come on time, and they were able to save Akane. 

In the hospital room, Akane sat up on her bed, leaning against the headboard. She was staring off into space, not talking, not moving. Kasumi couldn't coax her to eat anything, so the doctor had no choice but to hook her up to dextrose. 

The door opened, and Nodoka Saotome let herself in. 

Nabiki and Kasumi both rose to bow formally. "Good morning, Auntie Saotome," Kasumi said. 

Nodoka managed a smile for her as she stood beside Akane's bed. Her eyes dimmed with sorrow, and she asked, "How is she?" 

"Akane'll be all right, Auntie," Kasumi told her. "The doctor told us we could check out tomorrow. I just wish she would eat something." 

"I'm happy to hear that," Nodoka said. "It's a good thing you found her when you did, Nabiki. If you hadn't..." She shook her head sadly. 

"Damn you." The soft whisper startled them. Kasumi, Nabiki, and Nodoka stared at Akane, as her unfocused eyes slowly filled with tears. 

She didn't look up, content to stare at the wall in front of her. Her voice broke as she clenched her fists on the blanket she was clutching in both hands. "Damn you. Why did you have to save me? Why?" 

She began to sob, her thin shoulders shaking. "I wanted to die!" she cried. "I wanted to go see Ranma. He's waiting for me... I saw him! Why did you stop me?" 

Kasumi and Nabiki both stared at their sister silently, unable to come up with anything to say. 

Nodoka sat down on the edge of Akane's bed, putting an arm around the girl's shoulders. "My son wouldn't want to see you now, Akane," she said softly. 

Akane was snapped out of her daze. She looked up, her eyes wild. "No!" she cried. "Ranma loves me. He does. He has to..." She trailed off, weeping for her lost love. "He hasn't even told me he loved me..." 

"Ranma does love you, Akane-chan," Nodoka replied, her eyes sad. "He didn't want you to die. He gave his life up for yours." 

Akane looked at her, her eyes wide with confusion. "What - what do you mean?" 

Nodoka struggled to hold back her own tears, as she pulled out a crumpled paper from her kimono. She gently smoothed it out, showing it to Akane. 

"Look, Akane. This is your picture, see? Ranma carried it inside his shirt. We found it clutched in his hand. That's why it's crumpled, and a little dirty." 

Akane slowly turned, her teary eyes focusing on the photograph. Ranma brought her picture with him. Ranma had been holding it when he died. 

"Your family didn't tell you because they didn't want to worry you, Akane," Nodoka continued. "But Ranma was wounded by bandits in the forest, and he told Ryouga to go on ahead to make sure you get your antidote on time." 

"He - he did?" 

"Do you know what that means, Akane?" Nabiki asked, stepping forward. "He knew he was dying, but even then, his last concern was for you. That's why he tricked Ryouga, tricked all of us." 

Akane bowed her head, tears dripping down her face. "But..." 

"Would you want him to have died in vain, Akane?" Nabiki continued, looking down at her. "He exchanged his life for yours, and you're ready to throw it away just like this? You think so little of what he did for you? What he gave up for you?" 

She shook her head. "No... No, Ranma..." 

Nabiki's eyes softened. "Then, please," she said gently. "Don't give us another scare like this again. We realize it's hard for you, but Ranma's not the only thing you should live for, Akane. We're here for you - we're family. Do we mean so little to you?" 

"No, I don't know... I just... Ranma..." 

"Akane." Nodoka waited until the girl looked up tearfully. She struggled for her voice to remain calm. "I hope you would honor my son's last wish, for which he had paid so dearly. I... I hope you won't let him die in vain." Her eyes started to fill with tears. "Would you do that one last thing for him, Akane? For my son?" 

Akane stared at her for such a long time, her lower lip trembling, and Nodoka held her gaze firmly. Finally, she bowed her head and nodded. "I will," she said, her voice breaking. "I'll do what he wanted. I..." her voice broke on a sob, and they barely heard the last of her words. "I've never done anything for him..." 

Nodoka shook her head as she gently drew Akane in an embrace. "Don't think that, Akane," she said softly. "You gave Ranma enough. You gave him your friendship, your support, whenever he needed it. You gave him a home, a family. You gave him your love." Nodoka smiled sadly. "He...I'm sure he knew that when he made his choice, Akane." 

She wrapped her arms around Nodoka as she sobbed into her kimono. "I miss him so much," she cried. "Auntie, I miss him so..." 

Nodoka closed her eyes, as tears slipped down her face. "I know. I miss him too." 

**** 

The Tendo sisters walked home in silence, each absorbed in her own thoughts. It wasn't so unusual, really. They were as different as night and day. One, sweet and traditional and soft-spoken - as fragile and delicate as a rosebud. The other, a fiery sunflower - cold, calculated, and practical. 

But despite all their differences, Kasumi and Nabiki shared a bond that was special in its own way - two sisters both trying her best to support her family in her own way. Between them, words weren't necessary to express how they felt about each other. 

This time, it was concern for their youngest sister that brought them closer together. 

Finally, Kasumi broke the silence. "Do - do you think Akane will be okay?" 

Nabiki nodded. "Auntie Saotome helped a lot ... but I guess she'll be fine... in time." 

Kasumi shook her head. "Poor Akane. And Ranma..." she trailed off quietly. 

She glanced sideways at Nabiki. "You think he really did do that...? For Akane?" 

"We're not sure, of course," Nabiki replied, staring straight ahead. "But I believe it. " 

"I guess we underestimated him a lot, huh?" Kasumi asked softly. 

Nabiki looked at her. "What do you mean?" 

"Did you expect him to do that? To give up?" 

At last, Nabiki said, "No, of course not. I always knew Ranma's good and honorable... but then again, he's also selfish and arrogant and self-centered at times..." 

Kasumi shook her head sadly as she walked. "And Auntie Saotome too..." 

"What about her?" 

"She wanted her son to be a man among men - honorable, strong, brave... and now, Ranma did this. He fought for the honor of two young girls in peril, and gave up his life for his fiancee. What more could a mother wish for?" 

"That her son were alive?" Nabiki asked quietly. 

Kasumi smiled sadly. "Yes." 

They fell quiet again, until Nabiki said, "Akane will be okay, though. If nothing else, knowing the truth will give her reason to live. And then... we can go on to convince her there are many more reasons aside from that." 

Kasumi nodded. "I know." She paused and turned to look at Nabiki. "We'll make it through this, as a family." 

Nabiki smiled, a real smile this time, making her look much more like the happy, carefree girl she was supposed to be. "That's right." 

Kasumi smiled back, and started to continue forward. "Oh my," she said softly. "Isn't that Shampoo and Mousse there?" 

Nabiki looked up. Sure enough, the Chinese girl was standing outside their front door, wrestling off Mousse's advances. "Go away, stupid Mousse," they heard her shout. "I go see Ranma." 

"But Shampoo..." Mousse whimpered as Shampoo shoved him roughly. 

Cold anger began to boil inside Nabiki. Not today. Not today, of all days. 

Shampoo heard someone come up behind her, and she turned around. "Nihao!" she said. "I come see Ranma!" 

Nabiki glared at her, causing some of the brightness to leave her eyes. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, but you can't see him." 

Shampoo's eyes narrowed. "Shampoo is Ranma's bride. I have right to see him. More right than violent tomboy." 

"Really now?" Nabiki crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm not in the mood for this, hussy. So just move away and let us go in our home." 

Shampoo shifted her stance. "You have no right to keep Ranma from Shampoo. You get in Shampoo's way, you get hurt." 

Her control snapped. "Well, then, go and take him!" she snapped. "Take his dead body back to China and see what good it does you!" 

Shampoo's blood went cold. She stood, frozen in shock. Without another word, Nabiki stepped around her and went inside the house. Kasumi managed to smile at Shampoo sadly. 

"I'm sorry, Shampoo," she said softly. "This isn't a good time for you to come. Perhaps another time would be better." She started to step past Shampoo to go inside. 

"Wait," Shampoo said softly, turning to Kasumi. She swallowed hard. "Money girl... she... she tell truth?" 

"Ranma is dead, Shampoo," Kasumi replied quietly. "Uncle Saotome brought his body back yesterday. He died while trying to get back with Akane's antidote." 

"He...he die..." Shampoo whimpered, her entire body trembling. 

Kasumi looked at her for a moment, then bowed silently, before she turned and went inside. Shampoo barely noticed. 

Her palms began to sweat. Her eyes stared blankly at nothing as she stood, trembling violently. "He...Ranma..." 

Mousse sat up groggily, and stumbled his way back to Shampoo. "Shampoo..." 

She looked up and stared at Mousse with haunted eyes. "Ranma die..." 

He nodded quietly. "I heard." 

She closed her eyes, as tears slipped silently down her cheek. "He die...because of me..." 

She choked back a sob as she spun around and ran away, leaving Mousse staring after her. 

*I'm sorry, Ranma. I only wanted you to love me... I didn't want you to die...* she wailed silently, tears streaming freely down her face. 

But it was too late. She'd killed him.   
  
  


*** End CHAPTER 7 *** 

   [1]: mailto:stiffanie@mailcity.com
   [2]: http://www.angelfire.com/sd/Ranmafanfic/index.html



	8. Revelations

Waiting For You   
A Ranma 1/2 Fanfic By [Stiffanie Flores][1] Homepage: [Ranma Fanfiction by Stiffanie ][2]

Disclaimer : Ranma 1/2 and all characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi. This fanfic is written for enjoyment and self-fulfillment purposes only. 

Chapter 8:  
Revelations   
  


Cologne looked up as Shampoo came in her room. "You want to see Shampoo, great-grandmother?" she asked. 

Cologne nodded. "I have something for you, child." 

Shampoo watched as Cologne reached inside the folds of her robe and drew out a small crystal vial. 

"Here," Cologne said, handing it to her. 

Shampoo raised the vial towards the light and squinted curiously at the clear liquid inside the container. "What is it?" 

Cologne drew a long puff from her tobacco. "Chueh Wang poison." 

Her gaze snapped back to Cologne, as her fingers automatically tightened on the little glass bottle. "For what, great-grandmother?" 

The old woman gave her a level stare. "To get rid of the obstacles for Son-in-law's hand. We have wasted enough time dallying around." 

Shampoo faltered. "But-" 

Cologne reached for her staff. "If you have any other plans, then by all means, set aside the poison for another day. But then, we have tried almost everything else, haven't we?" 

Without waiting for a reply, she hopped away, leaving Shampoo standing in her room, staring down at her hands. 

**** 

To kill or not to kill... 

Shampoo pedaled slowly, her thoughts drifting back to the poison Cologne gave her. 

It shouldn't be a difficult decision. After all, what's most important was getting Ranma to marry her and they could go back to the village together. And since certain obstacles stood in the way of those plans - the simplest choice was to eliminate them. 

Shampoo wasn't afraid to kill. After all, she was the proudest and bravest of her generation of Amazon warriors. True, she had yet to kill a fellow human being, but she expected killing would be easy enough... rather, she was afraid of seeing Ranma's reaction if he ever found out that she tried to kill Akane. 

Shampoo wasn't blind enough that she'd delude herself into thinking Ranma didn't...care... for the Violent Tomboy. She remembered all those who had at one time tried to harm Akane - Tarou, Kirin, Toma, Herb, and most of all... Saffron. She shivered at the memory of Ranma's relentless fury as he battled the phoenix king for Akane's life... 

The thought of having those same blue eyes glare at her with seething rage and hatred made her blood run cold with fear... because as much as she wanted to go back to the village with her honor fulfilled by gaining Ranma as a husband - she wanted him to love her as well. 

And she was sure that as soon as she got him away from the Violent tomboy's influence, he'd finally fall in love with Shampoo, and they'd go back to the village in glory, and live happily ever after... 

Shampoo's mood brightened as she thought of Ranma. He was...perfect. Strong and handsome and honorable Ranma... she wouldn't dream of breaking his spirit, like other women did to their husbands back in the tribe, to exercise their domination over the household. 

But Ranma - his fiery spirit and intense determination was what drew her to him like a moth to a flame. He was glorious in battle, and together, as wife and husband, they would bring honor to the Amazon tribe like none other anyone has ever seen before... 

Her heart swelled at the thought, and she pedaled faster, eager to see Ranma again. Surely the decision could wait another day - right now, she wanted to be with her future husband. Maybe she could even get him to take her out on a date! 

As she neared the Tendo dojo, she spotted Kasumi Tendo sweeping outside the gate. "Nihao!" Shampoo called, skidding to a halt beside Kasumi. "Shampoo come to see Husband!" 

Kasumi smiled. Ranma's friends were so polite. "Ranma went with Akane to the mall, Shampoo," she replied. "Can I get you anything?" One always had to be hospitable when visitors came calling. 

Shampoo clapped her hands together. "Even better! Then Husband can take Shampoo for date at mall!" She took off on her bike, happily anticipating her date with Ranma. 

**** 

Shampoo glanced around, confused. Where could Husband be? 

A flash of red caught her eye, and she turned. Through the clear glass of the shop window, she glimpsed a man's back to her, but his broad shoulders and black pigtail were unmistakable. It was Ranma, standing beside Akane as she held up a blue dress in front of her. 

Shampoo brightened. It would be easy enough to get rid of Akane, then she would have Ranma for herself. 

She stepped aside, out of Ranma's direct line of vision, as the couple walked out of the store. She started to follow them at a discreet distance. Maybe she wouldn't even have to bother with Akane. Knowing them, they should begin fighting anytime now, and Akane would stomp off, angry again, leaving Ranma alone. 

Shampoo smiled as Akane's fist targeted Ranma. She didn't even have to wait long. Akane should leave soon, and - 

She blinked, surprised. Ranma and Violent-Girl were not fighting. Shampoo watched as Akane punched Ranma's arm lightly, could hear Akane's voice tinged with laughter as she smiled up at him. "I was only kidding, Ranma..." 

Shampoo failed to hear the rest of Akane's words, as she saw Ranma return Akane's grin. Her vision reddened, as she watched Ranma allow Akane to take his arm. 

Shampoo's eyes narrowed, focusing on Akane, until the crowd swallowed them up, obscuring them from her view. "Violent Girl stand in Shampoo's way too many times," she hissed under her breath. "Shampoo no let Violent Girl steal Husband. Husband is Shampoo's!" 

She whipped around, rage burning within her. Akane would never get Ranma. Shampoo would kill her first. 

Abruptly, she remembered Cologne's surprise. She smiled maliciously, beginning to contemplate how to put it into good use. She would eliminate Akane first - after all, she was the biggest obstacle. Any reservations she'd had about using it had just been wiped out permanently. 

After all, she reminded herself, she'd given Akane the Kiss of Death months ago, when she first came to Japan. And by allowing her to remain alive, she was leaving her own honor unfulfilled. Well, it was time to remedy that. 

A tiny voice pushed itself from the depths of Shampoo's mind to put a damper on her plans. Ranma. He would be furious. He would never forgive her. He'd never love her... 

Shampoo only shook her head and smiled brighter. Ranma would never know. She'd just have to make sure of that. 

She turned and stalked back to the store she'd seen Ranma and Akane emerge from. As she opened the door, a tinkling bell signaled her entrance. 

The saleslady came and smiled at her. "Good afternoon," she said brightly. "May I help you?" 

Shampoo nodded. "Shampoo want to see blue dress," she said, careful to make sure the woman understood her intent. "Same dress Violent girl have earlier." 

The woman frowned. "Pardon?" 

Shampoo cursed softly in Chinese, which only puzzled the woman more. Attempting a bright smile, she said, "From window I see girl hold up one blue dress," she explained. "Girl with short hair, come in with pig-tailed man." 

The woman brightened. "Oh! I see," she exclaimed, leading Shampoo to a rack filled with colorful dresses. "You must mean this one," she said, pulling out a dress with a flourish. 

Shampoo only smiled. She reached out and ran her fingers along the soft blue silk. "Yes, Shampoo want this," she said softly. "How much?" 

"Tell you what, honey," the woman said, draping the dress over a nearby chair. "Blue isn't really your color, with your hair and all. Let me pick you out something more..." 

Shampoo shook her head. "No, is fine. Want this one." 

"There's this absolutely divine red dress that would show off your looks to perfection," she rattled on, rapidly flipping through dresses. "Just let me show it to you, and you'll..." 

"No!" The saleslady started in surprise at the sharp voice, and looked up. 

Shampoo forced a weak smile. "I sorry. But Shampoo want this one. I take it. How much?" 

The woman studied the fierce glint in the girl's eyes and decided against arguing. She headed to the counter to ring up the purchase. 

**** 

"You can take your bath now, Akane," a voice called from inside the house. 

"Thanks, Kasumi," Akane's voice called back. 

Hidden by the shadows, a figure lurked outside Akane's window, intently listening to the sounds of movement in the room. The sound of Akane rustling through her clothes could be heard, and finally, after a few seconds, the sound of the door sliding closed. 

Cautiously, she peered in Akane's bedroom. The room was empty. Good. 

Without making a sound, Shampoo straightened herself and quietly slipped the window open. She laid the box on the table, leaning against a stack of books, and slid the glass pane closed. 

Hurriedly, she made good her escape. She felt giddy with joy, and she had an absurd impulse to laugh as she leapt across rooftops. Everything had gone according to plan. Violent-girl Akane, dense as she was, wouldn't suspect a thing until it was too late. And using a brooch as a medium for the poison was a stroke of genius - after all, the poison worked best when injected directly into the bloodstream. Only the tiniest drop was needed, and Akane would be dead in three days. 

*Ranma,* she thought giddily. *In three days, you will be mine at last.* 

**** 

"Tell me, Shampoo," Cologne said, looking at her intently. "Have you done it already?" 

She nodded solemnly. "Last night." She smiled. "Violent-girl dead by day after tomorrow for sure." 

Cologne's gaze never faltered. "Really? I only received knowledge that Son-in-Law is on his way to look for an antidote even as we speak." 

Shampoo blinked. Ranma, going to look for an antidote? Then again, she expected that of him. It was always left up to him to run to the inept girl's rescue whenever she got herself into trouble. 

"But Great-grandmother," she said, "you said no cure for poison, right?" 

"Oh, there is," the old woman replied. "But it remains secure in our village." 

"Then, there nothing to worry, great-grandmother," Shampoo said. "When Ranma come home, Akane dead. Is all." 

"Then Ranma will be yours, is that it?" 

Shampoo nodded happily. "Then we go home to village, great-grandmother." 

Cologne nodded. "Fine." She paused. "It is good Son-in-Law does not suspect us, Shampoo." 

The girl only smiled. "Shampoo make sure of that, great-grandmother." 

"One word of advice, though." Shampoo waited expectantly for Cologne to continue. "Wait a few days before going to see Ranma. It is good that he does not suspect anything, but he will be furious when the Tendo girl is dead, and they will likely think of us as the culprits..." 

"Great-grandmother," Shampoo interrupted, "when Violent girl dead, Ranma is Shampoo's. Is all." She tried to smile. "Shampoo no worry." 

Cologne's eyes bored into hers. "Remember Saffron, child." 

Shampoo fell silent, as Cologne voiced out her worst fears. Finally, Cologne sighed. "No matter. Ranma will be ours soon. But be prudent in your actions for the next few days, Shampoo. Soon, we will go home, and we can put this all behind us." 

She nodded. "Shampoo understand, great-grandmother." So, she couldn't see Ranma for a few days. It was little enough a sacrifice - after all, Ranma would be hers for sure. By next week they'd be back in the village, and she could reclaim her position as the most promising Amazon warrior of her generation, especially since she was going home with her husband, *the* best warrior of their generation, bar none. Even great-grandmother said so. 

Shampoo smiled happily as she headed to the kitchen to do the dishes. 

**** 

Cologne sat alone in her room, composing a letter to be addressed to the village Council. 

It was really such a consuming task, she thought, staying in Japan to help Shampoo gain her husband. And through all this time, she still kept herself up-to-date with the happenings in the village. As a member of the council, she was required to do so, and to give her vote in any important decisions the village made from time to time. 

She'd been very patient with Ranma, giving him time to make up his mind and finally make the right decision to go back to the village with them, even though her instructions had been to bring him back through any means necessary. 

Ranma truly was an exceptional fighter, Cologne mused, and the biggest reason for that was his indomitable spirit and determination. And breaking his spirit would mean the undoing of such a great fighter. And they could not afford that, for people like Ranma were so rare these days. 

Shampoo had truly chosen well. Ranma was...special. Like a diamond in a bag of peanuts, he shone brighter than any of the other stars in the galaxy. Cologne knew with a certainty Ranma would be the best - the only reason Cologne herself was still better was because she had a century of experience on her side. Given time, Ranma would be better. So much better. 

Cologne sighed quietly to herself, as she put aside her ink and paper. It really was too bad, she mused, that Shampoo came too late. By the time Shampoo arrived in Nerima, Ranma had already been too involved with the Tendo girl. He didn't even defeat Shampoo in formal combat - it had been to protect Akane that he'd kicked the bonbori out of Shampoo's hands. And the fact that Shampoo had been out to kill his female form before did nothing to endear her to him. 

It had been a huge mistake to let Ranma have all this time to make up his mind, but Cologne had realized it too late. The more time he spent with Akane, the deeper his feelings for her went. Half the time he got into these adventures, it was to rescue the inept girl and bring her back safely. 

Now, Cologne realized there simply wasn't any other way to bring Ranma back to the village. Akane had to be eliminated. Only then would Shampoo stand a chance to win Ranma. 

Besides, love or no love, they had to bring Ranma back. They had absolutely no choice in the matter. Of course, it helped matters a lot that Shampoo was so taken with the young Saotome. 

Cologne reached for an envelope on the desk, and slipped the folded letter inside. This time, she had good news for the council. With Akane out of the way, they'd be back in the village in a few days. 

The sound of the front door slamming into its frame startled her, and she looked up, realizing Shampoo should be home. Odd, the girl had never been this violent before, except when she was furious. But Mousse had been conspicuously absent these few days, so why... 

Another crash rang out in the silence, the sound of a glass pitcher breaking against the tile floors, and Cologne reached for a staff, anxious to find out what was going on. 

Cologne opened her door, in time to see Shampoo come up the stairs. She was shaking uncontrollably, and the trail of tears on her face was unmistakable. She dashed into her room, slamming the door closed behind her. From where she stood, Cologne could hear the sound of anguished wailing coming from behind the closed doors. 

A grim premonition building up inside her heart, she turned the knob and hopped into her great-granddaughter's room. 

The girl was lying facedown on her bed, clutching her pillow tightly as she wept brokenly, tears leaking out from her closed eyes. 

"What is it, child?" she asked from where she stood. "Didn't you go see Son-in-Law today?" 

The wailing increased, and Cologne winced. Something was wrong. Tendo Akane didn't die? Ranma had been able to save her life? A disappointment, true, but they could always try again, and use more drastic means next time. That wasn't enough reason for Shampoo to be so distraught... 

"Shampoo," she tried again. "What happened? Did you speak to your husband?" 

The wailing stopped abruptly, and Shampoo raised her head to look at her, her lips quivering, her eyes wet with tears. Cologne returned her gaze levelly. Finally, she burst into laughter. Cologne blinked, surprised. 

"Speak to husband?" Shampoo said, still laughing. "Yes, Shampoo go to see Husband, tell him we go home now, yes? Surely he say yes now, violent girl dead, he free to come to Shampoo now..." 

Cologne watched anxiously, as the laughter dissolved once again into tears. Shampoo collapsed against the bed, her slim shoulders trembling as she sobbed into her pillow. 

"Ranma is dead, great-grandmother." Cologne stiffened, the words driving a stake into her heart. "Shampoo go to house, Akane sister say so herself. Ranma die... he die because of Shampoo... Shampoo kill husband... Ranma! Shampoo sorry, Ranma..." The words trailed off into more tears. 

Ranma - dead? But how...when...what... 

Whatever were they supposed to do now? 

Cologne closed her eyes, her hand tightening on her staff. This was bad. Very, very bad. 

With her back turned towards the door, she didn't notice Mousse standing outside, his gaze intent on Shampoo's quietly trembling figure, before he turned and silently crept down the stairs. 

**** 

*How could you?* 

He wandered the streets aimlessly, with no destination in mind, no purpose guiding his heart. 

*How could you leave him?* 

He came to an intersection and paused, confusion written on his face. Left or right? It didn't matter either way. It didn't make a difference to him. As long as he got as far away as he could. For what else was left for him here? 

He turned left and trudged on, ignoring the hungry growling in his stomach, and the protests of his tired, aching feet. 

*How could you leave him to die, Ryouga?* 

His eyes began to fill with angry tears, though to whom the feeling was directed, he didn't know. Ranma? Or himself? Or was he cursing the heavens again, for bestowing him such ill luck? 

Ranma was dead. His rival, his arch enemy, the bane of his existence. Finally, he wouldn't have to live in the shadow of the man who'd caused him such misery. 

So, why wasn't he leaping for joy? Why was there a heavy feeling in his heart, like he'd just lost a part of himself? Why was he torn apart with grief, when there was nothing to feel sorry about, when Ranma was dead, and could no longer cause anyone any more pain? 

Because it was all a lie, he knew. And he could see it now, crystal clear. A lie which never existed except in his mind, as he sought peace in the arms of an innocent, trusting girl. And because Ranma had so often destroyed that blissful peace with a few careless words, or tried to separate Ryouga from the one thing that brought him true joy... he'd sworn revenge over and over again, for making his life hell, for hurting Akane so with his callous comments... 

His burning desire to defeat Ranma and prove himself blinded him to everything. For how many times had Akane whispered Ranma's name as she slept? How often had Akane been so worried about Ranma, or angry at Ranma, or... no matter what she felt, the feeling was *always* directed at Ranma... 

And who should know it better than him? P-chan, Akane's most trusted confidant, privy to her innermost secrets and hidden desires... and despite everything, he *chose* to blind himself to reality, continuing to blunder on his quest for revenge, not realizing that he was only delaying the inevitable, only setting himself up for even more pain, more heartbreak, more agony... 

Ah, nothing like coming face to face with the truth. He should be relieved, like a burden had just been released from his shoulders. After all, doesn't the truth set one free? 

Not like this. Not when it almost cost two lives to open his eyes to reality, to wake up from the dream he'd been living for too long. Ranma, slowly bleeding to death in the forest... and Akane, slitting her wrist with a sharp knife... 

How could he live with himself now, he wondered. How could he ever live with the knowledge that he could have prevented all this tragedy, if he'd only listened to his gut feeling and gotten Ranma to help before it was too late? 

Before, it would have been too easy to blame Ranma. Ranma asked him to go. He demanded Ryouga to go on ahead and leave him alone. He only did what he was asked to do. Why blame him? 

Yes, that was the easy way out. He could absolve himself from all the blame, and still be able to call himself Akane's friend. 

But that was before. Before Akane tried to kill herself, letting Ryouga realize the huge consequences of his actions that fateful day. And now he realized that it was Ranma who kept the delicate balance that held them all together, and without him, everything slowly began to fall apart... 

And now, he had to move on as well. What else was left for him here in Nerima, when the only people who held him here were lost to him forever? Ranma was dead, and so was the desire for vengeance.... and Akane... she was lost to him as well. How could he ever face her again, after everything that has happened? 

He shuddered as he remembered Akane's fists hammering relentlessly on his chest, her anguished cries ringing in his ears, as he stood helpless against her attack. She hated him - she made that clear enough. And though the knowledge broke his heart into a million tiny pieces, he had to let her go. 

Why should he still hold on to something he knew he could never have? 

*Goodbye, Akane,* he thought sadly. *I hope you can forgive me, someday...* 

He rubbed his eyes on the sleeve of his shirt, sniffling softly as he walked. Suddenly, his foot caught on something, and he tripped, stumbling a few steps. He turned around, surveying his surroundings, searching for even the faintest clue for where he was... 

He looked up, and his eyes focused on a sign above his head. Ucchan's. 

Ukyou's restaurant. 

He almost smiled at the irony. It almost made sense, in a twisted sort of way. Again, he thought to himself that Ranma really *was* the only thing that was holding them all together. For what else did they have in common, but a young man named Ranma Saotome, who had touched each of their lives so deeply? And his death would cause so much pain, too much... 

Ukyou was just the next name on the list. Who would be next? What would happen of them now that Ranma was truly gone from their lives forever? 

He didn't know. But oh, how he wished he didn't have to be the one to do this... 

How to say it? Hi, Ukyou? Yeah, I'd like an okonomiyaki. No pork, please. Oh yeah, did I tell you? Ranma's dead... how? Oh, I left him to bleed to death in the forest... 

Straightening his shoulders, he stepped inside the restaurant. He was an emissary of bad tidings, it seemed. And whether he liked it or not, he had to do his job. 

**** 

"We're home!" 

Kasumi touched Akane's hand, as they stepped inside the house. "Ready, Akane?" she asked, smiling gently. 

Akane nodded, her head bowed, as she started to slip her feet into her slippers. She went through the motions mechanically, almost as if there was a voice inside her head guiding her actions. 

Odd, she thought, that her world had just been turned upside down, she'd lost the most important person in her life, and yet the world continued to spin around on its axis, all the little, routine things of every day still kept right on going like nothing has happened... 

"Akane!" 

She looked up to see her father staring at her, an expression of naked relief and joy on his face. Nabiki stood beside him, watching her intently. 

She tried to muster a smile. "Hi, Daddy. Nabiki." 

"Akane." Soun walked forward to embrace Akane. "I was so worried about you," he whispered, his voice hoarse, as he clearly struggled to hold back his tears. 

"I'm fine, Dad," Akane replied, unmoving in her father's embrace. When Soun let go of her and stepped back, Akane managed another weary smile for her father's benefit. "I want to go up and rest a bit. Excuse me." 

"I'll wake you up when dinner's ready, Akane," Kasumi called after her. Akane nodded slightly, and went on upstairs. 

"I do hope she's going to be all right," she heard her eldest sister say softly. 

Nabiki's voice drifted upstairs. "Akane's a fighter. She'll be fine, don't worry..." 

Akane rested her head on her closed bedroom door. *It will be a long time before I'll ever be _fine_ again,* she thought, her hand turning the knob. She sighed wearily, and pushed her door open. 

A man was standing inside the room, with his back to her. He was holding a picture frame in his hand. A silver picture frame, which had previously been propped up on her bedside table. 

Akane lunged forward, and snatched the frame away. "Don't touch my-" 

Shinnosuke turned and smiled at her sadly. "Hello, Akane." 

The fire flickered out, and she sagged. "I'm sorry for my rudeness," Akane intoned formally. She sank down on her bed, holding the picture frame on her lap. "But I'd appreciate it if you'd leave my things alone in future." 

"I'm very sorry, Akane," Shinnosuke replied quietly. "More than I can ever say. Ranma - he was a good man." He turned to leave. 

"Shinnosuke." Akane's voice stopped him. "Did you know him well?" 

He looked at her, shaking his head. "No. I never saw him again after you left Ryugenzawa. But Akane - " he faltered, unsure what to tell her. "I - I think he loved you...very much." 

"You think so?" she asked softly. 

He nodded slightly. "He was a good man," he repeated, not knowing what else to say. 

Akane stared down at Ranma's face in the picture. "I miss him so much," she whispered, tracing his face with her fingertip. 

Despite her resolve not to cry, her eyes began to fill with tears. She smiled weakly, as her fingers tightened on the picture frame. 

"This - this was his present to me, last Christmas," she said softly, almost to herself. She smiled fondly at the memory. "We were up in the attic, and he just thrust it in my face, after I gave him that scarf I-" 

She trailed off, her eyes wide. "The scarf!" 

Shinnosuke blinked. "Wha- hey, Akane!" he called, as Akane jumped up and started to run out the room, the picture frame still clutched tightly in her hands. "Where are you going?" 

He quickly followed after her, confused at this sudden change of behavior. 

Akane paused outside a room, laying a hand on the closed door. After a moment's hesitation, she pushed the door open, and stepped inside the room. 

Shinnosuke paused in the doorway, watching Akane as she knelt down, starting to shuffle the contents of a set of drawers. 

The room was pretty bare, he thought to himself. A cabinet in the corner, and a couple of futons laid out on the floor. A red Chinese shirt that Akane pulled out of the bottom drawer of the dresser, and hugged it close against her chest... 

His eyes widened at the realization, as his hands clenched at his sides. Ranma's room. 

And Akane... was sitting on the floor with her legs tucked beneath her, as she rubbed her cheek gently against the soft red silk. 

He stared at her, noting absently the tears that silently rolled down her face as she closed her eyes. A hand fell on his shoulder, and he jumped in surprise, turning around. 

A tall woman in a kimono stood beside him, her hair pulled up in a bun. It was Ranma's mother, he knew. 

He tipped his head in respect. "Mrs. Saotome." 

She nodded absently, letting go of his shoulder. He watched as she stepped towards Akane, her footsteps light. She called her name, softly. 

Akane jerked her head up, her fingers involuntarily tightening on the shirt. Her eyes widened as she saw Nodoka standing over her. 

"Auntie," she breathed softly. 

Nodoka knelt down beside her. "I thought you were resting in your room, Akane." 

She shook her head, and set the shirt down on the floor beside her. "I just came to get this," she explained, reaching inside the opened drawer to pull out a scarf. 

Nodoka fingered the pale yellow fabric, looking at Akane. "Ranma's?" 

Akane nodded. "I made it for him, last Christmas." She laughed shortly. "It's awful, I know, but he took it, and he was so nice about it, he didn't even make fun of me..." 

She looked up abruptly. "Auntie," she began timidly. "Can I keep this?" 

Nodoka's eyes softened. "Akane..." 

"Please, Auntie," she pleaded. "I just want something to remember him by. So that-" She trailed off, her fingers stroking the initials "R.S." on the scarf. 

"So that whenever I miss him," she whispered softly, "I can just look at it, and remember him..." 

Nodoka reached out to lay a hand over Akane's. "Then by all means, take it, Akane," she said gently. 

Akane looked up, her eyes shining. "Thank you, Auntie." 

Nodoka smiled, and put both arms around her, drawing her in an embrace. "Thank you, too, Akane," she whispered. "For loving him so much." 

Akane closed her eyes. "It was loving him that made me feel most alive, Auntie," she said softly. 

Nodoka pulled away, hands still resting at Akane's shoulders, as she smiled tenderly at the girl who would have been her daughter-in-law. If only... 

Akane smiled back at the woman who'd been almost like a mother to her. *Would* have been a mother, if only... 

Silent understanding shone in their eyes, and there was no need for words between them. 

Shinnosuke stood in the doorway, staring at Akane in concern. He watched as she smiled at Ranma's mother, her eyes shining. It was the first real smile he'd seen on her face since Ranma's death. 

Finally, sighing to himself, he turned and walked away, trying to ignore the heavy feeling settling in his heart. 

**** 

If only you loved someone who would love you back, wouldn't there be less miserable people in the world? 

The thought rang through his mind as he soared through the night sky, flapping his wings, the cool night air brushing against his feathered body. He dipped low, coming to perch on the windowsill of a second-floor bedroom, dark except for the sliver of moonlight cast through the open window. 

It was enough light for him. He folded his wings underneath him, cocking his head sideways as he gazed upon his beloved. She was asleep, a light cover thrown over her, her head turned towards the window, where he could see her features clearly. 

Her face was upturned, her dark lashes casting shadows over her pale face. A hand clutched the corner of her pillow as she slept, fingers curling around the pale blue fabric. 

She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. And in sleep, she only seemed even more angelic in his eyes. He'd been in love with her ever since they were small children, and everything he'd ever done in his life, he'd done to win her love. 

But it ends here, he thought sadly. So many things had happened, too many, and even in his blindness, reality had managed to seep in and let him come to terms with the truth. He'd tried so hard to deny it for the longest time, it seemed. But sometimes life has a way of forcing you to wake up and face the music. 

He'd loved her his entire life, and he believed that he would love her always. No one could possibly love her as much as he did. But evidently, that wasn't enough. 

Because as devoted as he was to her, still she continued to chase after the man whom their laws commanded that she marry. He wished so much that it was as simple as that, that only the laws demanded her to win this man's hand in marriage. 

He'd tried so hard to deny it. The way she kept running to him, dropping everything to come to his aid... how she tried so hard to win his affections, a reflection of his own efforts to win her over. 

She'd loved a man who'd never looked at her twice, except if it was to use her for his own means. A man whom he'd sworn revenge against over and over, for stealing his beloved's heart from him. A man who was so obviously in love with another girl, but was too much of a coward to come and say it out loud, like there was something to be ashamed of for loving someone with your entire heart and soul? 

But she loved him, and what right did he have to question her love for him, when he himself loved her, when so often she treated him like the lowest scum on earth? 

Yes, love him she did, so much that she'd stooped to such dishonorable means to get rid of that who held his heart, so that she could have him for herself. Instead, she'd managed to drive him off to a place beyond anyone's reach, that no one could ever have him. And in so doing, she'd only managed to destroy the happiness of other people, for he was a man so loved by many. 

But how could he condemn her, when all she'd wanted was to win his love? When he himself would have done the same for her? And yet, how could he continue to love her with the same selfless passion, with the knowledge that she would never return it, no matter what he did? 

It tore at his very being, the thought of letting her go, purging her from his heart. Yet he strengthened his resolve, refusing to be daunted by the thought of the empty days ahead of him, without the sight of her to pull him up over the edge of despair. 

His entire life stretched out in front of him, an infinite mine of possibilities, even for someone like him. Perhaps it was time to set out to find his destiny. And if *she* was truly his destiny, perhaps one day, when he'd become a better man, he'd come back and see if it wasn't too late to win her love. 

Sighing heavily, he folded his legs underneath him and settled down for the night. Everything else could wait until tomorrow - tonight he only wanted to sit where he was and fill his eyes with the sight of her, and revel in the love and tenderness swelling in his heart whenever he thought of her. 

One last time... 

**** 

Birds chirping from outside her window woke her up. 

Akane rubbed her eyes groggily, sitting up on her bed. She glanced at her table to look at the time, and as she did, her gaze fell on the framed photograph that was Ranma's gift last Christmas. 

She sighed, and closed her eyes. If seeing that picture caused her so much pain, why not put it away? Lock it in a drawer, until the day when seeing Ranma's face wouldn't hurt her so? 

She shook her head, reaching out to grab the picture frame from her desk. She wouldn't put it away. Seeing it brought back so many memories, memories of her time with Ranma. And somehow, a part of her, probably gone insane from missing him, needed proof that the memories were real... that *Ranma* was real. 

She needed the memories right now. To see Ranma's face first thing in the morning - she needed that, to remind herself of the reason why she'd decided to continue living. Perhaps, when the day came that she didn't need him as an anchor to keep her afloat, she'd find another place for it, someplace she could go to whenever she needed to remember him, but someplace for the past. But not right now. 

It's been three days - she'd come home from the hospital the day before yesterday. She'd spent most of the time in her room, or in the dojo, trying vainly to work up the enthusiasm to go through a few exercises. Her family often checked up on her, trying to cheer her up. Of course she'd tried to assure them she was feeling fine, but they didn't seem to believe her, and she supposed she couldn't really blame them for being concerned. 

Shinnosuke was still staying at the house, too. He still slept in the dojo, even after Genma Saotome had packed up their things and moved back to the Saotome house with Nodoka. Shinnosuke had turned down the offer to stay in Ranma's room, preferring to sleep outside, for which Akane was secretly grateful. She still thought of it as Ranma's room, and the thought of someone else occupying it was uncomfortable for her. 

Ranma's funeral was over, and she'd missed it, as they hadn't waited for her to get out of the hospital so that she could join in the service. She didn't really mind - after all, she didn't feel like sitting in a room full of people, who would watch her with pity in their eyes, as they talked about her behind her back. No, she'd preferred to pay her last respects alone in Ranma's house, as she'd stood before his shrine, closing her eyes, imagining, for just a moment, that he was there standing right beside her. One last time. 

She looked down again at the picture, and lovingly traced the outline of Ranma's face with her finger. He was so much a part of her that without him, she felt empty inside, like she didn't think she could ever feel anything again... 

A knock on her door snapped her out of her trance. "Akane?" called Kasumi's voice. "Someone's here to see you." 

Akane hurriedly wiped the wetness that had gathered at her eyes, just as the door opened. "I don't feel like having visitors right now, Kasumi," she said, her eyes closed as she continued to rub her eyes. "Could you-" 

She looked up, and saw Ukyou standing behind Kasumi, watching her silently. Kasumi stepped aside to let Ukyou in, and closed the door to give the two girls some privacy. 

Her hand lowered. "Ukyou," she said. 

"Hi, Akane," Ukyou said softly. 

Again, an awkward pause. They could find absolutely nothing to say to each other. But then, it was expected, for two girls who had nothing in common except for the man they both loved. 

Finally, Ukyou broke the silence. "How are you?" she began hesitantly. 

Akane shrugged. "Could be better." She looked up. "How about you?" 

She bit her lip. "Okay, I guess." She took a deep breath. "Ryouga... he came by a couple of days ago, and he... told me everything," she said. "And I - I wanted to say..." 

"You're sorry?" Akane shook her head. "For what?" 

"So many things," Ukyou said softly, almost to herself. "Sorry he's dead, and none of us got him in the end. Sorry I tried so hard to get him to notice me, if only I'd known it was going to end this way..." 

She laughed, and it was a short, hollow sound. "Although that makes me feel terrible, that I only loved him so that he would love me back." She shook her head. "No, I'm not sorry for trying to get him to love me. Because I loved him, and what more could I want but for him to love me back?" 

Ukyou looked up, and Akane was surprised to see the sadness fade out of her eyes, to be replaced by seething anger. 

"But you," she continued, biting the words out, "you always treated him so badly, you never listened to him, you always got angry at him for looking at other girls, when you insisted that you want nothing to do with him..." 

Akane bristled at her tone - it was the first real emotion she'd felt since Ranma's death. "Now you just hold on a minute -" 

"What?" Ukyou snapped. "Do you ever give him a chance to explain before you pound him to the ground? Don't you always protest about your engagement whenever someone brings it up? Don't you always hit him when Shampoo's around, or me, or Kodachi?" 

Each word hit her almost like a physical blow, and Akane felt the fight drain out of her. "I did, didn't I?" she said softly, so softly Ukyou almost didn't hear her. 

"A little late for regrets now, isn't it?" Ukyou said, her tone challenging. "Many things I'm sorry for, but I regret the most that Ranchan never loved me. He should have loved me instead of you, when you never deserved him anyway..." 

The dying embers of temper sparked back to life, and Akane looked up, her eyes shimmering with angry tears. "Damn you!" she cried out. "You and everyone else in the world who thinks I never loved him. I loved Ranma! I loved him for everything he was, but I could never say it, because - because..." 

"Because what?" Ukyou demanded. 

Her next words were spoken in a soft, aching voice, filled with infinite regret. "Because I was afraid he would say he didn't love me back." Tears rolled down her face, and she angrily brushed them away. 

"You have no right to judge me like that," she said, glaring at Ukyou. "I love him as much as you do. And I - I..." Her voice broke, and she looked away. "And I hate it like hell that I never got the courage to tell him." 

Akane sniffled softly, wiping the wetness from her eyes with the back of her hand. Then, she felt the bed shift slightly as Ukyou sat down beside her, putting a hand lightly over hers. Akane looked up, prepared to brush off her unwanted sympathy. 

But Ukyou was looking at her, eyes shining not with anger, but rather a calm acceptance that Akane was surprised to see. 

"Well," Ukyou said. "Finally you admitted it, Akane." She smiled. "I'm glad." 

Akane blinked, the last traces of her anger dissipating. "Did you slip and hit or head or something?" 

Ukyou laughed, raising a hand to brush away tears that gathered at her eyes. "I just wanted to know if you really loved Ranchan." 

Akane frowned. "Why?" 

"Because," she said hoarsely, "Ryouga told me he died for you." She paused, swallowing past a lump in her throat. "And I couldn't bear it if he - if he loved someone who didn't love him back." 

Akane blinked again. "I would have thought you'd react more violently than that," she said slowly. 

Ukyou laughed shortly. "Let's just say you missed the worst of it." She sighed softly. "Sooner or later, we have to wake up to reality." 

Akane looked away. "I know." 

"I was so mad," Ukyou admitted. "Mad at him for this final proof that he didn't love me... but most of all, furious at him for not coming back, like he promised..." 

For a moment, a spark of Akane's temper returned in her eyes. "He promised you *what*?" 

Ukyou almost smiled. No, Akane hadn't changed. Not at all. "When I came to see Ranchan," she began, "I came in as he was packing his things for his trip. Before he left, he promised to come and see me, when he came back." 

Her eyes dimmed. "And I - I could see it in his eyes, but I tried to deny it... I knew he meant to break our engagement... in fact, he wanted to so much that very day, but he was already in such a hurry, so he just put it off..." 

She sighed. "He promised to come and see me, but he never came back, he never said goodbye..." Her eyes closed. "Even if it meant his rejecting me, I would have wanted him to say goodbye, at least. But now..." 

"You've just never dealt with death before. I have. That doesn't make this any easier, though." Akane wrapped her arms tightly around herself. "Oh god, why does it have to be so hard..." 

Ukyou smiled sadly. "No matter how hard it is - even if he was the only one you lived for, and now he's gone...you'd still have to try to go on." 

Akane glanced at Ukyou, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "How come we never got along like this before?" she asked. 

Ukyou laughed tearfully. "Because we spent so much time fighting over him, perhaps?" 

Akane smiled back, feeling, for the first time, that there was someone who really understood her pain. 

An awkward silence descended between them, as they couldn't think of any other words to say. Finally, Akane spoke. "What's going to happen to you now, Ukyou?" 

The other girl shrugged. "I'm going home. Back to my family." 

Akane frowned. "Home? You're not even going to stay until the school term's over, at least?" 

"The only reason I stayed in Nerima is because of Ranma. You know that." Ukyou shook her head. "Now Ranma's gone, and we all have to resume our lives where we left them off, back before he came. Isn't that right?" 

Akane rubbed her temples tiredly. "I suppose." 

Ukyou glanced at Akane uncertainly. "Can I ask you just one question, Akane?" 

Akane looked up. "What?" 

"You - still love him?" 

Akane closed her eyes and drew a deep breath. "I do," she answered. "Even if he's dead, I still love him. And perhaps I always will." 

"I guess that's how I feel too," Ukyou admitted. "Is that okay?" 

Akane shook her head. "I wouldn't believe you if you said you didn't love him, Ukyou. The reason I was always angry at you in the first place was because you could say it so easily, and I couldn't." 

"Oh really?" Ukyou tried to joke, smiling. "Not because I kept hanging onto him like a third arm, and I always tried so hard to break you up?" 

"That's part of it, yes." She reached out and tentatively laid a hand over Ukyou's, a tremulous smile on her lips. "Ukyou? I'm sorry for -" 

Ukyou smiled back. "I know. And I'm sorry too." 

**** 

The phone rang twice before Nabiki picked it up. "Hello?" 

"Tendo-san," a brisk female voice answered. "I have good news." 

"Good," Nabiki replied crisply, her business demeanor firmly in place. "Tell me." 

"We were able to track down Kyoko Marimoto. She was fairly cooperative in answering our questions." 

"That's good. Do you know-" 

"Yes. Marimoto-san recognized Tendo Akane-san and Saotome Ranma when we showed her the pictures. She remembered them coming into the store that day." 

"And?" Nabiki prompted. 

"She said it was a girl who purchased the blue dress in the shop, only minutes after Akane-san departed with Saotome Ranma." She paused. "It was a Chinese girl." 

Nabiki's blood turned cold. "A Chinese girl? With lavender hair?" 

A brief pause. "Yes." 

Nabiki's hand tightened on the phone handset. "Very good, Sachiko," she said quietly. "Thank you." 

"Always a pleasure doing business with you, Tendo-san." With that, she hung up. 

Nabiki slowly replaced the phone in its cradle. It was a Chinese girl, with lavender hair. There was only one person in Nerima who fit that description. 

Shampoo. 

She closed her eyes for a moment to compose herself. She'd guessed as much. It had to be one of Ranma's other fiancees, and Shampoo was one of the most likely suspects. 

But she didn't want to do anything until she made sure. Now - the facts were all laid out on the table. No more lies, not after so much proof. 

She made her way to the kitchen to get a glass of water. Suddenly, she was thirsty. 

Kasumi, as she expected, picked up on her restlessness. "What is it, Nabiki?" 

She opened the refrigerator and took out a cold can of cola. "I have news," she said. She smiled thinly. "Good news, I guess, in a way." 

Kasumi opened her mouth to ask, but just then, Soun came into the room, his face blank of expression. 

"Kasumi," he said. "This young man says he has news for us." 

Nabiki turned, just in time to see Mousse come in after Soun, his face wearing a solemn expression. He bowed formally. "Excuse my intrusion, but there is something I need to tell all of you." 

Nabiki slowly nodded. "Good," she said. "I have something to tell everyone, too." 

**** 

Akane came into the room and sat across from Mousse at the table. "Hello, Mousse." 

The Chinese boy nodded. "It's good to see you, Akane." 

"What is this all about?" 

Mousse glanced up to see Ukyou standing behind Akane, looking at him curiously. "Hello, Ukyou." 

Ukyou nodded and took a seat beside Akane. "So?" she prodded when Mousse didn't speak. 

"I would prefer to tell it to everyone at once," Mousse replied quietly. "If you don't mind." 

Akane shook her head. "That's fine." She looked around the room. Her father sat beside Shinnosuke, holding a cup of tea between his hands. Kasumi came into the room and put a plate of cookies in front of them. 

Nabiki walked in, a smirk on her face. "I went to turn on the light outside, and look who I found?" 

Akane looked up in time to see Ryouga standing behind Nabiki, scratching his head uncertainly. 

"I - I, uh..." he stammered nervously. 

"Got lost? Wandered into our backyard?" Nabiki supplied helpfully. "Yeah, we know that already." 

Ryouga made a half-hearted attempt to shoot Nabiki an irritated glare. His gaze fell on Akane, who was looking up at him, and his eyes clouded. 

"I'm sorry for intruding," he said, starting to back out of the room. "I have to go." 

He turned and started to walk away when Kasumi stood and put a hand on his shoulder. "Ryouga-kun?" 

Ryouga paused. "Yes, Kasumi-san?" 

"Won't you at least stay for a while?" she asked. "You're always a welcome guest in our home, Ryouga." 

Ryouga shook his head. "I do not deem myself worthy of your hospitality, Kasumi-san." He started to move forward. "I'm sorry." 

"Ryouga?" Her voice. The voice that haunted his dreams every night since. 

No emotion was conveyed in that one word, as she spoke his name. Nevertheless, he closed his eyes, bracing himself for the inevitable. "Yes, Akane-san?" 

"I never had the chance to thank you for coming back with my antidote, Ryouga." 

Ryouga's eyes snapped open, staring at Akane. "What?" he asked stupidly. 

Akane bowed. "I thank you for saving my life, Ryouga-kun." 

He gawked. "But - but I - Ak-kane-san," he stammered. "You don't think... what about..." 

He gulped, drawing a deep, ragged breath. "Ranma," he whispered softly, seeming lost in his own thoughts. "If I hadn't left him, he'd be..." 

He trailed off, and silence descended upon them like a blanket. Outside, the water in the pond rippled softly as the koi broke through the surface and flipped its tail in the air, almost as if trying to break the awkward silence, before falling back into the water with a light splash. 

Finally, Akane spoke. "Please don't take it that way, Ryouga-kun," she said softly. "I've never blamed you for anything." 

Ryouga looked at her uncertainly. "But-" 

Akane tried to muster a smile. "What good would that do? I've accepted it as Ranma's will. I'm trying to get on with my life as best as I can. We all are," she added, smiling sideways at Ukyou. "Won't you try to do the same?" 

"I - I don't know what to say," Ryouga stammered. He bowed his head, his broad shoulders trembling. "I don't deserve your forgiveness, Akane-san." 

She shook her head. "There is nothing to forgive." 

"Akane is right, Ryouga-kun," Kasumi said. "Please, won't you at least stay for a little while? There's plenty of room. And today does seem to be a day for guests," she added, looking at Mousse. 

"That's right," Nabiki said. "We forgot all about you, Mousse. Hope you don't mind." 

Mousse shook his head. "It's alright." He looked up at Ryouga. "It would be good if you stayed, Ryouga," he told him. "There are some things that might... interest you as well." 

Ryouga frowned. "What are you talking about?" 

"Mousse said he came by to tell us something important," Kasumi said, smiling at the Chinese boy. "Please, take a seat, Ryouga-kun, so that Mousse may begin." 

Ryouga hesitated a moment, and at Akane's encouraging nod, he sat down beside Shinnosuke, unstrapping his backpack and setting it down on the floor. 

Mousse nodded. "I... came here to tell you a story," he began. "A story about a woman I met in our village, who..." 

"What does this have to do with us?" Nabiki asked. 

"I hoped you would let me finish," Mousse said quietly. "You will understand, in time." 

"Fine." Nabiki folded her arms over her chest. "It had better be good." 

He took a deep breath. "I had a somewhat difficult childhood," he continued. "Some of the children in the village would make fun of me because of my poor eyesight. And once, when some particularly mischievous boys had knocked off my glasses and pinned me to the ground, a woman came and helped me, and took me to her home to tend to my minor wounds..." 

He smiled. "She was always very kind to me - and it seemed she was fond of me, for she sometimes called me to her house for tea. And once, when I was a little older, maybe 11 or 12 years old, I asked her why she was being so kind to me, when the other grown-ups in the village looked at me with disdain because of my handicap." He paused. "And she told me it was because of my eyes." 

"She pitied you because of your blindness?" Nabiki asked. 

He shook his head. "I thought that at first, too. But then, she said, it was because of the color of my eyes," he added, as he took off his glasses, and looked up. 

"Blue-green, the color of the sea," he continued. "She said I reminded her of a man she met so long ago, whose eyes were the exact shade as mine." He looked around at them. "A Japanese man, who shared her fascination with botany and plants." 

Ryouga looked up, as understanding dawned in his eyes. "Takanari-sensei?" he asked. 

Mousse nodded solemnly. "Hideto Takanari." 

Nabiki blinked. "Then... the woman...she's..." 

"Mei Lin," Mousse finished. "That's right. Hideto Takanari fell in love with a woman from the Amazon tribe, but laws forbade their marriage. They separated, and they never saw each other again." 

Everyone in the room sat in stunned silence. Finally, everything became clear with this revelation. The final pieces of the puzzle finally fell into place. 

"Then - Shampoo is the one who poisoned my Akane?" Soun asked, his eyes narrowed into slits. 

Nabiki nodded. "I already figured that out, Daddy," she told him. She turned to Mousse. "And that note which told us where to go for help..." 

Mousse nodded. "That's right. It was from me. I found out quite by accident about Shampoo's plans, and I had to interfere, but in a way such that she would never suspect." 

"How did you know where Takanari lived?" Shinnosuke asked. 

Mousse smiled slightly. "Suffice it to say an Amazon has his ways. I won't bore you with the details." 

He looked at Akane, who had been silent all this time. "The poison is most effective if it enters the bloodstream directly. And when Shampoo followed Ranma and Akane to the mall and saw the dress Akane admired - it gave her the perfect opportunity to execute her plan without arousing much suspicion." 

Akane nodded. "I understand. She knew I would think it was from Ranma or something." 

"Unfortunately, things didn't go according to plan," Nabiki added. "What of Shampoo now?" 

Mousse lowered his gaze. "Shattered with grief over having indirectly caused Ranma's death." He took a deep breath. "Cologne is taking her back to China tonight." 

"What?" Soun, Ryouga, and Nabiki shouted in unison. 

Mousse looked up. "They have no more reason to stay in Japan, now that Ranma is dead. Shampoo can go home without a blemish on her warrior's honor." 

Nabiki glared at him. "And that's why you came here?" she asked. "To make sure we do not go after her, so that she may suffer the punishment she deserves?" 

Mousse closed his eyes. "That's right." 

"How can you still do that for her?" Ryouga demanded. "After what she's done? How can you still love her?" 

Mousse smiled faintly. "If love listens to reason, then it wouldn't be quite so profound, would it?" He shook his head. "I love Shampoo, and will love her always. But this will be the last thing I do for her." 

He replaced his glasses on the bridge of his nose and looked around the room at them. "Shampoo isn't aware that I know of her doings, or that I am here with you at this moment. Neither is Cologne. I came here to tell you the truth, which you deserve to know." He paused, seeming hesitant to draw out the next words. "Also, I'm here to ask you not to pursue the matter any longer." 

"Dream on!" Nabiki snapped. "She doesn't get off the hook that easily. If she has any honor she should come and face her judgement!" 

He looked at them pleadingly. "The Amazons no longer have any reason to bother any of you any longer. What's done is done. Whatever punishment you come up with for Shampoo, it won't bring Ranma back from the dead." 

"Hell, yeah, but it gives us justice!" Nabiki snapped. 

Mousse's eyes clouded. "Shampoo - she is no longer the proud warrior we used to know. Ranma's death has destroyed her spirit. That's one of the reasons for Cologne's haste to bring her back to the village. The other reason is... the Council demanded that she return immediately." 

"So that the village can prepare to revel the return of its champion?" Nabiki asked sarcastically. 

Mousse bowed his head. "So that Shampoo can accept her punishment for having killed her husband." 

There was a few seconds of surprised silence, until Mousse cleared his throat and continued to speak. "Ranma was an exceptional fighter," he began. "He defeated Shampoo, the best of the Amazon warriors, so easily. The more the council heard of his adventures, as he defeated Cologne in battle, or fought legendary creatures like the Orochi, emerging triumphant after the battle with Herb and finally with the legendary phoenix god Saffron, it only strengthened the council's desire to gain him as an Amazon husband. Someone such as Ranma would be good for the tribe, to breed future young warriors like him, to bring further glory to the Amazon village. 

"That was the only reason the council tolerated Shampoo's repeated failed attempts to win Ranma," he continued. "Ranma simply *is* the best, and they cannot afford to lose him." 

"And now they have," Akane whispered, speaking for the first time. "Now Shampoo has inadvertently caused his death, and destroyed what could be the last hope for the Amazons to regain their former glory." 

Mousse nodded, his eyes downcast. "Shampoo will receive apt punishment for that, I assure you. I cannot even begin to imagine what they'd do to her. Use the cat's tongue to lock her in her cursed form, maybe. Perhaps worse. I don't know." 

Nabiki glared at him. "Don't expect sympathy from any of us, Mousse. She doesn't deserve pity, after all she's done. She-" 

"Nabiki." It was Akane's voice, speaking quietly. Nabiki looked down at her questioningly. 

Akane shook her head. "It's okay. Let it go." 

Nabiki blinked. "Are you crazy, Akane?" she demanded. "She tried to kill you! For real this time, not just any stupid memory-erasing stunt. And Ranma too!" 

She looked away. "Ranma was killed by the bandits." 

"But he wouldn't have if you hadn't been poisoned in the first place," Nabiki shot back. 

Akane drew a deep, ragged breath. "If she loves Ranma as she says she does, it's punishment enough, to know that she had caused his death, however indirectly. It's more devastating than what hell you could create for her, Nabiki." Her eyes slowly closed, as a weary sigh escaped her lips. "I know. Believe me, I know..." 

The fire dimmed in Nabiki's eyes. "Akane..." 

Akane looked up. "It's okay, really. Mousse is right. There's nothing we can do about it. Even if you kill her, it won't change anything." 

"But Akane, don't you want her to pay for what she did?" Nabiki persisted. "She wanted to kill you!" 

Akane forced a tight smile. "I'm fine, aren't I? Ranma saw to that." She wrapped both arms tightly around herself and closed her eyes. "There's but one thing I want, and nothing anyone can do can bring him back." 

Nabiki faltered. "But..." 

Akane shook her head. "Thanks for the concern, Nabiki. I appreciate it, really. I just-" Her voice broke, and she looked away. "It's over. Please, just let it go, so we can move on." 

Kasumi laid a hand on Akane's shoulder, as Nabiki looked on helplessly. "Are you sure this is what you want, Akane?" Kasumi asked. 

She nodded, looking down at her folded hands. "I'm sure." 

Nabiki sighed. "Well, it looks like I'm outnumbered here." 

"Nabiki..." 

She nodded. "Okay, okay. I'll let the matter drop. You have my word." She glanced sideways at Mousse. "After all, you did send that note. Without it, we wouldn't have known to look for Takanari-sensei," she admitted. 

Mousse shook his head. "It was the least I could do." 

"So, you're going back to China tonight, Mousse?" Ukyou asked, smiling. "Today seems to be a day for farewells." 

"I'm leaving, yes," Mousse replied quietly. "But I'm not going home with them." 

"What?" 

"I decided not to go home just yet, though I don't have any immediate plans for the future." He looked out to the koi pond, his gaze seeming far away. "It'll be good to go out and see what's in store for me." 

"Will you be okay?" Akane asked. 

Mousse nodded. "You needn't worry about me. I may be half-blind, but I've learned to survive well over the years." His gaze drifted outside, a wistful smile on his lips. "It'll be something like an adventure. I'll just go wherever the wind takes me, I guess." 

"Works for me," Ryouga said, and that brought a smile to their lips, if only for a while. 

Mousse got to his feet. "I must be going. There are many things to do." 

"Will we see you again?" Akane asked, looking up at him from where she sat. 

Mousse smiled. "Perhaps. If our roads should cross again, it would be a pleasure to see you again." 

"You, too." 

"I'm sorry for everything. Ranma... he wasn't my friend, but he was never really my enemy. He... he was good." 

Akane smiled wistfully. "I know." 

"I must be going." 

Kasumi stood up beside him. "I'll see you to the door." 

Mousse nodded. "Goodbye, everyone." 

"Wait," Ukyou called, standing up. "I'm going, too. Wait for me." 

Ryouga got to his feet as well. "I too must be going." 

"You're all leaving?" Akane asked, looking up at them. 

Ukyou smiled. "I'm sure we'll see each other again, Akane. Take care of yourself." 

She nodded. "You, too. Try to keep in touch, will ya." 

"Sure." Ukyou turned to Ryouga. "Come on, Ryouga, before you get lost on your way out." 

Ryouga shot her a dirty look, before turning to Akane. "Akane-san, I'm-" 

"Enough." Akane shook her head. She tried to smile reassuringly. "Be happy, Ryouga." 

Ryouga bowed. "I wish you happy as well, Akane-san." 

Ukyou grabbed his arm, and Ryouga turned, following the others out. 

"And then there were four," Nabiki drawled, smiling sideways at Akane. 

"I'm going for a walk," Akane announced, standing up. She looked down at Shinnosuke. "Come with me?" 

He nodded. "Sure." 

"I'll be back in a while, daddy," Akane called, already heading out. Shinnosuke quickly followed behind her. 

After a moment's silence, Nabiki stood up. "I guess I'll go take a bath before dinner." 

"Nabiki." 

She paused. "Yes, daddy?" 

"You think Akane's happy?" 

She turned to glance at her father. "I think *happy* isn't the right word for now," she remarked. "But yeah, she'll be okay." 

Soun nodded. "I suppose. She's spending a lot of time with that Shinnosuke boy, isn't she?" 

Nabiki narrowed her eyes. "Don't get any ideas, daddy." 

He shook his head. "Don't be ridiculous, Nabiki. Of course not." He sighed. "I'm just glad she's getting better every day. And Shinnosuke seems to be helping her out a lot." 

Nabiki nodded. "Yeah." She grinned. "I think Shinnosuke's got a thing for her." 

Soun frowned. "What?" 

She rolled her eyes. "You can be so oblivious, daddy." She shrugged. "You don't have to worry about Akane, though. He's just a friend, and she won't notice." 

He nodded, seeming reassured by her words. "Mind if I take that bath first?" he asked. 

Nabiki scowled. "As a matter of fact, I do. Wait your turn." With that, she turned and stalked away, leaving Soun staring out at the koi pond thoughtfully. 

He stood up and walked out to the veranda, rubbing a hand tiredly against the back of his neck. He thought sadly of the young man he'd wanted so much as his son-in-law, and his youngest daughter grieving the loss of her first love. And he thought of his oldest friend, and of the promises they'd made so long ago, when they were young and their hearts were full of bright hopes for the future. 

*I'm so sorry, Genma,* he thought sadly. *We had so many dreams for them, didn't we? But who could have guessed fate would be so cruel?* 

**** 

"It's a little cold, isn't it?" Akane remarked, rubbing her hands along her upper arms. 

Shinnosuke began to take off his coat, and Akane shook her head, smiling. "No, it's okay. It's getting late. We should be heading back." 

He nodded reluctantly, and let his hands fall back to his sides. They began retracing their steps back to the dojo. 

He glanced sideways at her sober profile. "Everyone's left, huh?" 

Akane nodded. "Everyone who's ever been close to Ranma. Now everything's back to the way it was, back before they all came." 

"No, that's not right," she said after a moment, shaking her head. "How can things ever be the same?" She glanced at him. "How could you ever forget everything that's happened?" 

He closed his eyes and thought of the way her eyes shone as she smiled, or the way her hand felt against his palm. Or the way the sound of her voice made him feel all giddy inside. He'd never forgotten, even before he came to see her. 

"You never forget," he said softly, almost to himself. 

"Yeah," she answered, and he realized he'd said it out loud. 

"I do have to head for home soon," he said suddenly. "Grandfather will be worried." 

She nodded. "I understand. Everyone has to leave sooner or later," she added, a wistful tone to her voice. 

"Akane-" 

"You don't have to worry about me. Like they say, I'm tough," she joked, flexing an arm in front of him. "I'll be okay." 

She smiled at him. "You will come and visit again soon, won't you?" 

He smiled back. "I'll try." 

"Well, we're here," Akane said a few moments later, as they neared the front gate. 

Shinnosuke stepped forward and opened the gate for her, but Akane shook her head. "You go on inside, Shinnosuke," she told him. "I just... I just want to think for a while." 

He looked at her uncertainly for a moment, before nodding. "See you later," he said, as he disappeared inside. 

Akane didn't reply, as she turned her head up and closed her eyes, basking in the sensation of the cool air against her face. 

She opened her eyes and stared up at the sun above her, already starting to sink in the western horizon. She smiled ruefully to herself as she recalled how a chapter of her own life had ended today - a few short months, the happiest of her life, when she'd met and loved a wonderful man. 

The sun had set too quickly on his life here, though, and to her and all those who'd loved him, it was as if the sun would never rise again. The future had seemed as dark and hostile as the vast, empty night sky. 

But as sure as the earth would continue to spin on its axis, Akane knew that morning would come soon. Soon dawn would be breaking, to signal the start of a new life for her. 

And with each gust of wind, the sound of birds chirping in the morning, the water rippling in the pond... it all comes with a reminder of how precious life can be. Of the price given for her own life, and of the promise she'd given to honor the man who'd paid it. 

"I'll never forget you, Ranma," she whispered, her eyes closed, the wind humming a soft rhythm in her ears. "Thank you... for everything." 

Sighing wearily, she turned and walked inside, closing the gate behind her, and leaving the street as empty as it'd been before. As empty as the feeling of her own heart. 

Above her, the sun shone its last rays, before the night took over.   
  
  


*** End CHAPTER 8 *** 

   [1]: mailto:stiffanie@mailcity.com
   [2]: http://www.angelfire.com/sd/Ranmafanfic/index.html



	9. Changes

Waiting For You   
A Ranma 1/2 Fanfic By [Stiffanie Flores][1] Homepage: [Ranma Fanfiction by Stiffanie ][2]

Disclaimer : Ranma 1/2 and all characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi. This fanfic is written for enjoyment and self-fulfillment purposes only. 

Chapter 9:  
Changes   
  


Ranma was a part of my life I never wanted to forget. And yet, somehow, I had. Bit by bit every passing day, the memory of him slowly faded away. 

I remember, it used to drive me crazy. It was bad enough that the days went by so quickly when he was here, alive and beautiful, so quickly that I hardly had enough time to enjoy being with him, loving him, before he was taken away from me forever. 

The memory of him was the only thing I had left - was that going to be taken away from me as well? 

Now, two years after, I can only look back and laugh at my foolishness. I tried so hard to hold on to the memory of Ranma. I was so afraid that I would forget him completely that I lost sight of everything else around me. 

But that's not true. Now, two years later, after the time has washed away the pain and the regrets... only the happiness remains. The memory of what it felt like, to have him with me... when we would get along, and the way his smile would make my knees go weak. The memory of what it was like to love him. 

I would never forget Ranma - I know that now. I may not remember the exact features of his face, or the way he smiled, he spoke, he moved... but I will never forget that I loved him, and that he loved me. And I suppose, that is what's most important. 

So much has changed, these last two years. And to think that it all started with a stupid blue brooch, and my own carelessness. If only I'd been more careful, if only I hadn't been so eager to try on that damned dress. If only, if only. Ranma wouldn't have died, we'd probably be married by now, going to college together... 

Dreams. Foolish, hopeless dreams. Two years ago, when I would lurch awake drenched in sweat and gasping for breath, those dreams were the anchor that kept me from teetering over the brink of despair. Now, it is with a mixture of regret and relief that I admit I have no need for them anymore. 

We never heard anything about Shampoo. But I often find myself hoping she didn't get punished too harshly. She tried to kill me, true, but I like to think her true crime was in loving Ranma too much. She'd loved him so much that she thought she had to kill me to win his love, just like I'd loved Ranma so much I tried to kill myself, thinking that I could never live without him. 

Getting through the first few months was the worst ordeal. Everywhere I looked, there was a reminder of him, and good or bad the memory was, it would make me think of him, and I'd miss him so much, it hurt. 

I'd count the days as they went by, trying not to think about how empty tomorrow would be like, and all the tomorrows after that. I tried to settle in life's normal routines, trying to feel happiness again in the things that had brought me such joy, before Ranma came and redefined happiness for me. 

And a few months later, I realized that I'd stopped counting the days, and I hadn't done so for a while. As bad as that made me feel at first, that I was finally getting used to being without Ranma, a part of me was happy, that I was settling back into my life again. 

School had settled back to normal, after a while. Talk about Ranma began to die down a few weeks after his funeral. And soon, life returned to normal, the way it was before Ranma came and brought all that insanity into our lives. 

Shinnosuke came down from Ryugenzawa permanently. It turned out that a distant aunt of his lived in Tokyo, and he and his grandfather both came down to live with her. Certainly living in the middle of the woods wasn't helping his grandfather's health any. The village had managed to put together a group for dealing with the giant animals in the forest, with volunteers from dojos coming to represent their families. He'd still go and help out, every once in a while. 

He comes to visit very often, something which my sisters find very entertaining, although I've told them repeatedly that Shinnosuke and I are just friends. We've become very good friends, though, over the years. 

Sometimes, it amazes me that Shinnosuke's memory has become so good. When he came to Nerima two years ago, I was too absorbed in my own grief to pay much attention to the other people around me. I suppose the Orochi moss cured his memory, as well as his physical wounds. That's what his grandfather says, anyway. 

Shinnosuke... he and I became very close friends. I'm not sure either what brought us together. But I thought, perhaps it was because of our shared history with Ranma. Everyone who has been part of our lives (Ranma's and mine) has left for good. Shampoo, Ryouga, Ukyou, Mousse... Shinnosuke's the only person left. The only one who's known and witnessed the real truth of my feelings for Ranma. 

He doesn't look at me with pity in his eyes, while trying to hide it with a facade of false cheer. He's seen just how much I've struggled to put my life back on track again. He witnessed my agony when Uncle Genma brought Ranma's body back, and he was here when I tried to kill myself that same night. Somehow, it makes me feel better knowing that I am with someone who knows how very much I loved Ranma, and just how much I went through, without him in my life anymore. 

Sometimes it's almost hard to imagine Ranma ever existed in Nerima. After he died, and all the others left town, I threw myself into training with renewed vigor - because it was the only thing I had left. Lost in the exercises, I would forget everything - the pain of loss, the aching loneliness that filled every day of my life, the despair burning deep in my heart. 

And soon I regained the title of the best martial artist in Nerima. But somehow, it feels different. An empty victory, almost. It's funny, really. It was the one thing I wanted, to be the best, and I resented Ranma and the others for their superior skill in the Art. Now *I* am the best. But the price I had to pay for it... Be careful what you wish for. I suppose that's true, after all. 

Whatever... I do enjoy being a martial artist again - a *real* martial artist. I had neglected my training way too much, and it was time I remedied that anyway. I practiced by myself, going through the katas Dad taught me so many years ago. And Shinnosuke... he helped as well. Our sparring sessions helped me improve a lot. Heh. Wouldn't Ranma be surprised. I'm not as good as he was, but I'm sure I could give him a good fight. 

Things are going along smoothly, though. I'll be graduating in a few weeks, and then, I'm off to college. I suppose I should study something which would help my future career as a dojo instructor - after all, I'm still inheriting the dojo. I had dreams then, two years ago, about Ranma and I getting married and raising our children in this house, while we taught classes and passed on the Art to our students. 

But now... Ranma's dead, but I can't let my dreams die with him. He won't want me to do that. And every time I practice the Art, when I'm lost in a complex kata... he's still there. I'd stop and close my eyes, and for a little while, I can almost feel him. I'll make our dreams come true. And in my heart, he will live forever. 

**** 

"Akane!" 

She turned, schoolbag slapping against her hips, as Yuka ran up to her, clapping her on the shoulder. 

Yuka smiled at her. "Good morning!" 

Akane smiled back. "Had a nice weekend?" 

"Yeah. The best. Me and Hajime went to this great place downtown, and they serve the best dimsum in town! You oughta try it sometime." 

"Don't forget finals are next week, Yuka." 

"Ugh. Finals. You just *had* to remind me." She shivered dramatically. "Last chance you ever get if you want to make it out of Furinkan this year." 

She glanced sideways at Akane. "I bet you don't got anything to worry about, though," she said admiringly. "You're at the top of our class, your grades are great, you're captain of the volleyball team..." 

Akane smiled, shaking her head. "You can do it too, if you'd spend more time on homework." 

Yuka sighed dramatically. "You don't know how busy a girl's life can get, Akane," she said teasingly. "A boyfriend takes up so much of your time, there's hardly any left for such insignificant things like homework." 

"So how are things with Hajime?" 

"Fine." Yuka smirked. "He brought me a box of chocolates and the nicest flowers he could find, to make up for breaking our date last week." 

"Yuka..." 

"Akane..." Yuka matched Akane's exasperated tone. "A guy needs to be shown his place, every once in a while." She winked. "Why, if I let him off so easily, he might start making a habit out of breaking dates. What good is a boyfriend without dates?" 

Akane laughed, running her free hand through her hair - she still wore it short, even after two years. "I wouldn't know," she joked. "I've never had one." 

Yuka shrugged. "You could have a boyfriend if you like, Akane. There are plenty of great guys in school. They'd be lining up right outside your front door, if only you'd let them know you're interested." 

"I'm not," Akane said firmly. "Not yet." 

"Ranma?" There was a note of uncertainty in Yuka's voice. 

Akane shook her head. "You know me better than that, Yuka." Her friend nodded. "I'm just not interested. That's all." 

Yuka's expression turned sly. "Not even that Shinnosuke guy?" 

"I told you, we're just friends," Akane replied, laughing. 

"Well, then, can I have him?" 

"Yuka!" 

"He's cute!" 

Akane laughed and swatted her friend playfully. "Stop it. We're almost in school," she said, nodding towards the school gates looming ahead of them. 

Yuka sighed. "School. What gets me out of bed each morning is the thought that we'd be out of this dump soon." 

"Come on, Yuka," Akane teased. "Where's your school spirit?" 

"Didn't bring it with me," she muttered. 

Akane smiled. "Furinkan holds too many memories for me, that thinking of it invokes a feeling of... well, almost fondness, actually," she admitted. "And thinking of leaving it for good makes me feel sad, almost. Like I'm leaving a part of me behind." 

"Well, I'm sure I'll be missing all the cute girls around," a voice piped up from behind them. 

Akane smiled. "Yeah, I'm sure you will, Hiroshi," she remarked. 

Hiroshi grinned as he fell into step beside them. "Had fun last weekend, girls?" he asked, smiling at Akane. 

Akane didn't reply, instead just favored him with a small smile. Yuka glanced at him, her eyes glinting. "Ready for finals, Hiroshi?" 

As she expected, he groaned, slapping a hand to his forehead. "Don't say that word, please! It gives me the shudders." Yuka laughed. 

"Well, you guys had better be ready, 'cause it's next week," Akane told them as they stepped into the familiar hallways of Furinkan. It hasn't changed a bit, not in the last two years, Akane mused inwardly. It's almost funny, really, that so much in her life had changed, but good old Furinkan remained the same... 

"She's such a spoilsport," Yuka complained to Hiroshi, bringing Akane out of her thoughts. 

He nodded sagely. "Yeah. A slavedriver, even. Just 'cause she has good grades, she expects *everyone* to have good grades. Just 'cause she doesn't have fun, anyone else isn't... hey!" He leapt away from Akane's reach in time to avoid the schoolbag aimed for his head. 

"No fair, Akane," he complained. "You're better, stronger, faster... what are ya trying to do, maim me before I get out of high school?" 

Akane snorted. "Get off it, Hiro. I trained you better than that, and you know it." 

Hiroshi grinned. "Yeah, you did." 

After school had ended the year Ranma died, Soun had taken up teaching the Art again, with a lot of support from his daughters. Nabiki drew up plans and schedules for the lessons, and Kasumi was a constant source of gentle encouragement for her father. And Akane... she had agreed to teach the beginner's classes along with her father. At the time, it had seemed like a good way to pass the time, and keep herself in shape. But she'd genuinely enjoyed it, and now she handled some classes by herself, during summer vacation after school let out. 

They took the stairs up to their classroom. Yuka elbowed Hiroshi. "Aww, admit it. You and Daisuke only took the classes so that you'd have a chance with Akane-chan." 

He winked at Akane. "She's right. So, have my efforts paid off?" He flexed an arm in front of her. "Am I strong enough for you? Or do I have to beat ya before you'd go out with me?" 

Akane snorted indelicately. "If I'm going to date anyone, it's because I want to, not because of any other stupid reason, and you damn well know it." 

Yuka frowned. "But *why* is it that you never meet anyone you like?" she persisted. 

Akane shrugged. "I don't know. I'm just not interested." 

"Ranma?" 

"I told you, it isn't because of him. Jeez, it's been two years, you think I'd still be..." 

Yuka shook her head. "That's not what I mean, Akane." She grabbed her friend's hand and pulled her inside the classroom. 

Akane put her schoolbag on her desk and sat down. "What?" 

Yuka took a seat beside her. "I have to ask, Akane. Is it because -" 

"- you can't find another person who measures up to Ranma?" Hiroshi finished, as sat down in front of Akane, twisting around in his seat to look at her. 

"That's why you aren't dating anyone, right?" Yuka asked. "Because you've been comparing every guy to Ranma, and they don't measure up. Right?" 

Akane blinked. "What's this, the third degree?" 

Hiroshi shrugged. "It's not too hard to imagine, you know," he said, continuing on as if she'd never said anything. "Ranma's... special. If you're looking for someone like him, that's a pretty tall order." 

Akane shook her head. "No, that's not it at all. I'm not comparing anyone to anybody. I'm not going to do that - it wouldn't be fair to anyone." 

She propped her chin on her elbow and smiled. "Like they say, love isn't planned - it just happens. The day I first met Ranma, I hated him on sight. The last thing I expected was to fall in love with him. And yet I did." 

She shook her head. "I'm not going to plan falling for anyone else. I guess right now I'm... *waiting*... for love to happen. It'll have to come, someday. But if it doesn't, I'll be content enough to have loved - and been loved - at least once." 

"Akane! Don't say that. You..." 

"No, listen to me. I met Ranma when I was sixteen. I loved him, and he loved me. How many people spend their entire lives wishing for the exact same thing, and never get it?" She smiled. "Well, I had it, even for just a while. And I don't regret a moment of it." 

Her friends gawked. "Akane..." 

"You - you've really thought about this, haven't you?" Hiroshi asked. 

"Better that than spend the rest of my life blaming myself for all the lost time and opportunities, right?" 

"But you still think about it," Hiroshi said. "I can tell when you do. You get this distant look in your eyes, like you're remembering something." He shrugged. "You'd do that sometimes while we're in training." 

"Well, yeah, I still think about it. I'd be lying if I said I've put it all behind me, or I didn't have any regrets... I do, and sometimes I'd think about it, about what might have been, if he hadn't died, if he'd just told me he loved me before it was too late..." 

She smiled. "Then I'd just remind myself that he did love me, even if he'd never said it. That everything he did and said told me exactly that, and if I hadn't seen it before, I see it now. I'd remind myself that he loved *me*, above all the other girls who would have him. And I'd feel better." 

She leaned back and titled her head to stare at the ceiling. "That's why I said I'd miss Furinkan," she remarked softly. "Ranma and I... we spent so much time here together. It's so much a part of our lives, how could I ever forget it?" 

"Well, like you said, we're graduating soon," Yuka told her. "And it's on to college. Bigger and better things." 

Akane smiled. "Right. As much as I'd miss Furinkan, it isn't like I can spend the rest of my life in high school," she joked. "I'm moving on. Like you said, Yuka, bigger and better things. But Ranma..." 

She laid a hand on her chest, right over her heart. "He'll always be here with me," she said, smiling. "When I do meet someone else and fall in love again, the memory of Ranma will take a backseat to him, but as long as I don't forget, he'll always be here." 

Yuka sighed dreamily. "That's so romantic." 

Akane smiled. "Curiosity satisfied, I hope? 'Cause even if it isn't..." Just then, the morning bell buzzed, signaling the start of classes. Students began drifting back to their seats. Akane glanced at her friends meaningfully. 

Hiroshi grinned and pushed himself to his feet. "Nope. But there's always recess. And lunch break." 

Akane laughed as she took out her books and prepared for class. 

**** 

"I'm home!" 

Akane glanced at the empty hall, not really surprised that there wasn't anyone to greet her. With Nabiki gone off to college, only the three of them lived at home - Kasumi, Soun, and Akane. And during this time of the day, Kasumi was usually in the kitchen getting ready to prepare dinner, and Soun was resting in his room after his afternoon classes. 

As usual, she headed straight to the kitchen for an afternoon snack, idly slapping her bag against her thigh as she walked. 

"Akane?" called her sister's voice, even before she reached the kitchen. "Is that you?" 

Akane smiled. "Yup, it's me," she called back. "Got anything to eat?" 

She paused at the doorway to see Kasumi's smiling face. "Just tea and cookies," she replied. "But if you're looking for a treat, Shinnosuke's got a surprise for you." 

Akane's eyes brightened at the mention of Shinnosuke's name. "He's here already?" 

"He's in the dojo working out," Kasumi replied. 

As Akane darted out of the room, Kasumi called after her, "Bring him in for some tea and snacks when you're done sparring!" 

**** 

Shinnosuke paused after completing a kata, sliding out of a form he'd assumed. He took a deep breath and straightened, raising an arm to wipe the perspiration from his brow. 

He'd learned a lot since he came to live in Nerima, he mused. He'd always been good in the art, what with living in the forest and keeping the huge animals from attacking the villages. But he'd never had any formal training until then. He hadn't known anything about katas and forms, before he'd met Akane. 

It was a burden released from his shoulders, to be able to come down to the city and live a peaceful life, without having to worry about giant animals rampaging around and destroying people's houses. The volunteer group took care of that. 

He'd taken the beginner's course at the Tendo dojo the summer two years ago. Akane had taught the class, with her father watching over and guiding them when necessary. It was a good experience for Akane, he knew. She was the heir to the Tendo dojo - she still planned to take over the school after she graduated from college. 

It was a good experience for Shinnosuke, too. He easily adapted most of the forms and teachings of the Tendo school, incorporating them into his own style of fighting. He still fought best with a weapon, but he'd also learned to fight well in unarmed combat. 

The doors slid open with a soft swish, flooding the room with sunlight. He looked up, startled out of his thoughts, and his eyes squinted in the light. 

She stood silhouetted in the doorway, the late afternoon sun catching the highlights in her short blue-black hair. She smiled at him, a smile that lifted his spirits and made his heart pound against his chest, as she stepped forward, further inside the room. And he could see that her eyes were sparkling as well. 

He stepped towards her, a smile spreading across his face. It wasn't hard - the mere sight of her filled him with so much joy that he could keep smiling for an entire day. 

"Shinnosuke," she called, still smiling, and the sound of her voice was like music to his ears. 

He smiled. "Hello, Akane." 

She grinned and stepped in front of him, dropping into a ready stance. It was sort of a tradition between them - sparring first, conversation later. "Whenever you're ready." 

He frowned as he glanced at her blue school uniform. "Aren't you even going to change?" 

She shrugged. "I can fight as well in this. I do it all the time," she boasted. 

He laughed. "Not in two years, you haven't." 

"Well, still good enough to beat you," she replied, her eyes sparkling. "Your move." 

Shinnosuke decided it was pointless to argue. He took a few seconds to scrutinize her stance, and quickly decided on an offensive attack. He launched himself at her, aiming for a kick to her side. 

Instead of dodging it as he'd expected, she jumped and countered his kick in midair, throwing him back a few inches as they landed back on the floor. She wasted no time, her hands a flurry of punches as she advanced on him. 

Shinnosuke held up his arms to parry, his feet sliding across the smooth, polished floor. She was forcing him into the corner, he knew. He'd better come up with something fast. 

The punches stopped, and she leapt, aiming her right foot for a kick to his shoulder. Shinnosuke swiveled out of the way, just a split second before the kick connected, and brought his arm up to land a blow on her leg, just above her ankle. 

It was actually a little more than a light tap. Shinnosuke wasn't as adamant about not fighting girls as Ranma had been. That was what made him a great sparring partner, in Akane's view. But he still refused to hit her, thus the feather-light blows he preferred when sparring with Akane. 

Akane landed lightly on her feet, raising a hand to brush her bangs from her eyes. "Good move," she remarked. "Compensating nicely after a surprise maneuver." 

He grinned. "High praise from you, sensei." 

Akane snorted. "I don't got what it takes to be a sensei yet." She smiled. "When I get my degree and take over the dojo, it'll be an honor to have my students call me sensei." 

She did a short leap and her foot flashed out in a flurry of kicks. "You're early today," she remarked. 

Shinnosuke turned and smiled. "Not really," he said. "There was nothing to do at home, so I came over a few minutes early. I hope it's okay." 

"Of course it's okay. I'm always eager for a good training partner." She grinned and flexed an arm. "Keeps me in shape." 

"I bet." 

"Hey." Akane turned and glanced at him. "Kasumi said you had a surprise. What is it?" She grinned and extended an arm. "Come on, gimme." 

Shinnosuke nodded. "I brought some sakura mochi for tea. I passed by them on my way home from shopping, and they looked good." He smiled. "I bought more than enough, so I thought I'd bring some over." 

Akane's eyes brightened. "Why didn't you say that earlier? Come on, I'm hungry. I haven't eaten anything all afternoon." She turned and sprinted out of the dojo. 

Shinnosuke laughed as he ran after her. "What was that about keeping your figure?" 

**** 

"Tea, Shinnosuke?" 

He smiled and held up his cup. "Yes, thank you." 

"My, so polite," Akane teased. 

Shinnosuke grinned. "Like Kasumi says, a guest is a guest." He patted his stomach. "I'm almost embarrassed to admit it, but Kasumi's cooking is one of the things I look forward to the most, whenever I come to visit." 

Akane whapped him lightly on the arm. "Rub it in, why don'tcha." 

He laughed. "You'll get better with practice, Akane. Hey, your cooking is a lot better now than it was two years ago." He laughed harder and ducked when Akane threw her chopsticks at him. 

Kasumi smiled benevolently at them. "I'm happy to know that you enjoy my cooking, Shinnosuke. And you're always welcome in our home." 

"Still, I hope I'm not overstaying my welcome," Shinnosuke remarked. 

"Oh no," Kasumi assured him. "It's always a pleasure to have Akane's friends over." She smiled. "I'll go bring dinner out." 

As soon as Kasumi was out of earshot, Akane leaned over and whispered, "If you ask me, I think she just likes showing off her excellent culinary skills to other people." 

Shinnosuke stifled a bark of laughter, as Soun came into the room. 

"Now, Akane, that isn't very funny," Soun admonished her. 

Akane bit her lip, but her eyes were sparkling with laughter. "Gomen, Daddy." 

Soun nodded. "So, how's school coming along, Akane?" 

She shrugged. "Okay. Everyone's busy studying for finals." 

Shinnosuke elbowed her. "I bet you don't have any problems, ace student." 

Akane snorted. "You flatter me too much." She smiled. "Finals are a killer, and the entrance exams are even worse. It isn't going to be a breeze, Shinnosuke." 

"Whatever." He smiled. "You can do it." 

"Sure I will," she boasted. "Do you think Nabiki hogged all the brains from the gene pool?" 

"Whoa," Shinnosuke laughed. "Is it my imagination, or is your head getting bigger everyday?" 

"What can I say? Ranma rubbed off on me," she joked. "I don't have his martial arts skills, so I had to find something to compensate." She rolled her eyes. "And boy, was he an *awful* student." 

"Akane," came Kasumi's admonishing voice. She leaned down to put a couple of plates on the table. "It's not good to speak ill of the dead." 

"But he *was*," Akane protested. "I mean, he was brilliant - only in martial arts. But he didn't do very well in school. He *could* have, but he didn't." 

"He could have?" Shinnosuke echoed. 

"You'd have to had seen it for yourself. Ranma could learn *anything*, if he just put his mind to it." She grinned. "He's a sore loser. But he's got an iron will and determination like you wouldn't believe." 

Shinnosuke smiled. "Actually, I do," he remarked, remembering how Ranma had fought the Orochi in Ryugenzawa. 

"Ranma was a remarkable boy," Kasumi said firmly, as she took her place at the table and started filling their bowls with rice. "And in this family, he'll always be remembered with infinite fondness and gratitude," she added, smiling at Akane. 

Akane smiled back, reaching out to take the bowl of rice Kasumi held out. 

**** 

*I love you...* 

She glanced up, tears of happiness brimming in her eyes. He stood in front of her, his beautiful eyes lighting up in a warm smile. 

*I love you...* 

She jerked her head in a quick nod. "I know," she said softly, choking back a sob. 

His smile grew broader. *How?* 

"I just know." She closed the distance between them in a couple of steps, and glanced up at him, her face a few inches away from his chest. 

"Because," she said achingly, as the tears threatened to choke her voice, "I love you, too." 

He reached out and drew her in a tight embrace, burying his face in the silk of her hair. She wrapped both arms tightly around him, laying her head on his chest, feeling the soft silk of his shirt rustle against her face. 

The tears came again, and this time, she didn't try to stop them. 

*Oh gods.* His voice came out soft and muffled. *I've waited so long for you... so long...* 

She said nothing, as she closed her eyes, reveling in the feel of him, his scent, his presence, his voice, and the love overflowing in her heart... 

*Will you come?* 

She jerked her head back. "What?" 

He stared at her, his eyes beseeching. *Come with me?* 

"I...I..." She blinked, not understanding the confusion in her heart. Why was she hesitating? 

*I've waited for you...* 

She felt a soft tingle run through her body, and suddenly, the arms around her waist began to loosen their grip... 

*So long...* 

She stared the body in front of her as it began to fade. She glanced up, and he was looking at her, his eyes sad. 

*So very long...* 

"W-wait!" she cried, reaching out, but her arm passed uselessly through the illusion of him. "No, please... I'm sor.... no, don't..." 

His eyes sad, staring at her, until he faded away into etherealness, leaving nothing but a cool night air against her skin. 

"...don't leave me..." 

**** 

*Don't leave...* 

"Akane?" 

*No, please...* 

Bam. Bam. Bam. "Akane? Are you awake?" 

*No...* 

More banging. "Akane? Wake up, it's a school day." 

"Ugh..." 

Her head rolled to the side, and she groaned, cracking an eye open. Morning already? Her head felt so heavy... 

"Akane?" The knocking ceased. "I'm coming in..." 

She yawned and stretched her arms, as the door swung open, and Kasumi stepped inside. 

"Morning, sis," Akane mumbled, rubbing her eyes. "Sorry I overslept." 

Kasumi sat down on her bed. "Didn't you set your alarm last night?" 

Akane propped herself up on her elbows and glanced at the clock beside her bed. Sure enough, the button was pressed down. "I guess not." She yawned. 

Kasumi frowned. "What's wrong, Akane?" she asked. "You don't look so good." 

She waved an arm in front of her. "I'm okay. Just sleepy, that's all." 

"Didn't you get a good sleep?" Kasumi laid a hand on Akane's forehead and felt for a fever. 

"Just okay. I just had a dream." She frowned. "Good dream, bad dream, I don't even remember. Just that..." 

She laid a hand over her heart. "Just that my heart was racing real fast, and I was..." She shook her head. "I don't remember." 

"That's alright." Kasumi stood up. "Can you go to school?" 

She looked up. "Of course." She flashed a reassuring smile at her sister. "I'm fine, Kasumi. I'll go wash up and be down for breakfast in a jiff." 

"All right." Kasumi started to back out of the room. "I'll have your bento ready in the kitchen." 

"Thanks, sis." Akane waited until Kasumi was out of her room. She listened to her sister's receding footsteps as she walked down the hall. 

*What _was_ that?* she thought, grimacing. It was the third time this month she'd had this dream, and she never remembered anything after waking up. Just that she woke up with her heart beating so fast she felt like she'd run a ten-mile dash, and that she was filled with an immense guilt, and apprehension... uncertainty... doubt... 

Sighing, she stood up and grabbed her pail of toiletries. She'd be late if she didn't hurry. 

As she grabbed the towel draped over her desk chair, her eyes fell on the open book lying on her desk, and her forehead creased in a small frown. 

*Ugh. That's right. It's finals week.* 

She was a good student, but that didn't mean she didn't have to study hard for good grades. And with finals coming up, and college looming ahead of her, she'd have to study extra hard. 

Akane quickly put the dream out of her mind, for the time being. There would be more time to think about it later. 

**** 

"How about a movie, Akane?" 

"I'd rather go get that milkshake like we said we would." Akane smiled. "Besides, we still have finals tomorrow, Yuka." 

The other girl sighed. "But we just finished one today," she said. "We're entitled to spoil ourselves every now and then, Akane." 

"That's why I'm splurging on this milkshake." She shrugged. "Tell you what. Let's go out for dinner and a movie *after* finals. Okay?" 

Yuka's eyes brightened. "A double-date?" 

Akane shook her head. "I was thinking more like, girls' night out?" 

"Aww, Akane," her friend complained. "You're no fun. You haven't gone out in *ages*." 

Akane laughed. "I'm not an old maid yet, Yuka," she replied. "And I've been busy, okay?" 

"So it's time to relax and have some fun. Come on, Akane, we'll have a great time." 

She sighed. "Where on earth will I find a date?" 

Yuka smirked. "We can pass the word around school, if you like. You'll get a date in no time." 

Akane snorted. "No thanks." She sighed again. "Yuka, I really don't feel like-" 

"Akane, please." Yuka softened her voice, and she reached out for Akane's hand. "I was kidding about finding you a date. But it'll be fun, just like the old times. Please?" 

Akane sighed. "I'll... get back to you on that, okay?" 

She shrugged. "I'll take that for now. But I expect a decision soon, okay?" She waggled her brows at her. "And I won't take no for an answer." 

Akane rolled her eyes. "Oh jeez, cut that out. You're going to give me nightmares." 

Yuka laughed and linked her arm through Akane's. "So let's get a soda like we planned, so we can head home and you can bury your head in your books all you want, spoilsport." 

Akane smiled back and started to reply, when she suddenly paused and her brows knitted together in a frown. Yuka lurched to a stop beside her. 

"Jeez, Akane, don't do that," she complained. "You're going to drag me to the..." She trailed off, staring at Akane. "What's wrong?" 

She followed Akane's eyes, and her face assumed a similar frown, as she struggled with old memories. "Hey, isn't that... what's his name again?" she asked. "Ranma's rival?" 

Ahead of them, winding his way through the crowd, was a tall boy wearing a bandanna, carrying a huge backpack on his back. He paused, looking around him, a lost look in his eyes. He turned around and started to walk back the way he came. 

"Hey," Yuka exclaimed. "I remember. Isn't he the guy who had trouble with directions?" She rolled her eyes. "Isn't that the stupidest thing you ever -" 

"Excuse me, Yuka," Akane said absently, pulling away from her friend. Yuka watched as Akane quickly caught up to the guy and put a hand on his arm. 

Ryouga turned, surprised. His eyes widened with a look of recognition as he stared at her. "Akane...san?" 

Akane smiled, and her hand fell to her side. "It *is* you," she exclaimed. "It's been a long time, Ryouga." 

He blinked. "But... what are you doing in...?" He scratched his head. "Oh wait. This is Tokyo, I guess." 

"That's right. Where else would I be?" She smiled. "Boy, you haven't changed a bit. Still having trouble with directions?" 

Ryouga smiled back, timidly. "Until the day I die, I'm afraid." 

"I'm sorry to hear that." Just then, Yuka caught up to them, laying a hand on Akane's shoulder. 

"It is him, isn't it?" she asked in a loud whisper. 

Akane rolled her eyes. "Ryouga, you probably don't remember Yuka, but she remembers you." 

Yuka blew out a breath. "Rude introduction, Akane." 

"Err... hi?" Ryouga scratched his head self-consciously. "I'm afraid I didn't know anyone in Nerima, except Ranma and the Tendos." 

"Well, I only know you by reputation." Yuka smiled. "Nice to meet you." 

"Ahh... same here, I guess." He glanced at Akane. "I should... ah... get going. Nice to see you, Ak-kane." 

He started to turn around, until Akane called his name. He turned back to look at her, slowly. 

"Akane-san?" 

"You got someplace to go?" 

He blinked. "Err... nowhere?" 

Yuka snickered, and Akane shot her a dirty look. She turned back to look at Ryouga, smiling. "Are you in a hurry to get to this...um... *nowhere*?" 

"I... guess not..." 

"Then could I invite you for dinner, at least? Kasumi would be happy to see you. Daddy, too." 

"Oh no... I'd already... I wouldn't want to..." 

"It'll be our pleasure, Ryouga." She smiled. "Two years is a long time. We haven't heard from you or Ukyou since you left." 

His eyes held a hopeful look that he tried unsuccessfully to hide. "Are you sure, Akane-san?" 

"Of course." She turned to her friend. "How about you, Yuka?" 

"I'd love to, but my mom expects me home for dinner." She glanced at Akane. "So I guess we're on for sundaes tomorrow, instead?" 

"You bet." 

"Your treat?" 

"In your dreams, pal." 

Yuka shrugged. "Okay, no prob. At least I tried." She grinned. "Gotta go now. See ya, Ryouga." She waved and walked away, leaving Akane alone with Ryouga. 

"So." Akane smiled at him. "Shall we go?" 

"Okay." 

**** 

They all retired in the living room after dinner. 

"I hope dinner has suited your appetite, Ryouga-kun," Kasumi said brightly, coming to sit down beside her father. 

"Oh yes, Kasumi-san," Ryouga replied. "Your cooking is as good as I remember it." 

"It must be hard on you, to be on the road all the time," Kasumi said sympathetically. 

"Yeah, well, I'm used to it, I guess." 

"Still, we're surprised that you didn't run into us sooner, Ryouga," Akane remarked. "You used to drop by every few weeks, at least." 

It came as no surprise to Ryouga, though, as he'd tried his best to stay away from Tokyo in general. Still, with his sense of direction, all he could do was hope his feet would drag him in the direction of China. 

"It is good to see you again, Akane-san," he said out loud. "And everyone, too." 

"How have you been, Ryouga?" 

"As well as I could be, thank you." 

"How's Akari?" Akane asked brightly. 

Ryouga lowered his eyes. "I...er... I haven't seen her in more than a year." 

Akane looked surprised. "How come?" 

*Because I was too ashamed of myself that I couldn't face her, even though she said she didn't mind.* Out loud, he said, "It didn't work out between us. We... didn't have enough things in common." 

"Oh, Ryouga, you shouldn't let that stop you," Akane told him. "I mean, Ranma and I didn't have much in common, did we?" 

Ryouga shook his head. "No. You - you were..." He drew a deep breath. "You were a couple meant to be, if he... he..." He broke off. "Akari and I - we just weren't..." 

Akane bit her lip. "Oh, I'm sorry, Ryouga. I didn't mean to dredge up your..." 

She trailed off as Ryouga shook his head at her. "It's alright, Akane-san," he told her. He tried to smile. "How have you been?" 

"I'm okay." She smiled. "I'm graduating in a couple of weeks." 

"That's good to hear." 

A moment of awkward silence passed. Ryouga looked down at the floor, suddenly wishing it would open and swallow him up whole, so he wouldn't have to feel this terrible aching in his heart... 

Akane fumbled for a topic of conversation. "Ukyou's doing great. Did you know that?" 

Ryouga looked up. "No, I didn't. How is she?" 

Akane shrugged. "She doesn't write very often. But I know she's also graduating this year, and she's probably not going to college. She's still planning to be a great okonomiyaki chef." She smiled. "She will be, one day." 

"She already is," Ryouga said. 

"You're right." She paused. "And Mousse sent a postcard a few months ago." 

"Really? How is he?" Ryouga asked with genuine concern. The poor guy, probably still heartbroken over - 

"He says he's fine." Akane shrugged. "He only wrote that one time. He said he's travelling all over Japan, visiting training grounds, honing his martial arts skills." 

"It'll be good to see everyone again," Ryouga said out loud. "It's been a long time." 

Akane smiled. "That it is." 

"How about... everyone else?" 

Akane blew out a breath. "Well, if you're asking about the Kunos... They dragged Kodachi out of the country for some special treatment in Switzerland... she went ballistic after Ranma died. As for Kuno - he gave us some trouble at first, but it wasn't something we couldn't handle. He's off in college now, flunking all his courses. At least that's what Nabiki says." She smiled. "Everybody else is pretty much the same, though." 

Ryouga was silent for a moment, and Akane asked, "How about you, Ryouga? How are you?" 

He looked up. "I'm okay," he said, managing a weak smile. "I guess I'm... back to wandering. It isn't so bad. I get to see nice places, meet nice people, learn new things..." 

"Ryouga." He fell silent at the solemn tone in her voice. "You don't have to pretend for me." 

He shook his head. "No, really. I've learned to live with my sense of direction, so it isn't so bad anymore. And it really takes a load off my mind, now that I'm not bearing any grudges against anyone. I'm just a wanderer, until I find a place to settle down. I'm not so different from Mousse." 

"Do you suppose he'll ever go back to his village?" 

"I don't know." He paused. "Have you heard anything about Shampoo?" 

Akane shook her head. "No, nothing. Nabiki offered to find out, but I refused." 

"Why?" 

"What good would that do?" Akane managed a smile. "I'm not crazy about her, sure, and what she did was wrong, but..." She sighed. "I'm not interested in revenge, or anything like that. I refuse to get any cruel satisfaction in knowing whatever plight has befallen her." She shrugged. "Sometimes, there are some things that are better not knowing." 

"You're right, of course." 

"How about you, Ryouga? You're not still... angry at Ranma... are you?" There was a note of uncertainty in Akane's voice. 

"Of course not." Ryouga's eyes stared ahead, not meeting Akane's gaze. "More often, I marvel at the twists of fate. When he was alive, I hated the sight of him, I'd curse him to the Hells for ... for everything he's done, and I've lost count of how many times I wished him dead..." 

There was a faraway look in his eyes as he continued, "But now, he's dead. I finally got what I wanted... and I often find myself wishing I didn't." He laughed shortly. "Does that make any sense?" 

Akane closed her eyes. "Yes." 

Ryouga seemed lost in his thoughts. "I tried so hard to beat him, to be better than him... I never got my chance, he died before I could beat him... before... before I admitted to myself, he was my friend all along... before I could tell him I was sorry... for everything..." 

Akane watched as he broke off, rubbing his palm against his closed eyes. Her heart felt heavy - regrets always came too late, she thought sadly. For everyone. 

Ryouga grunted and stood up, still not looking at her. "I'm sorry," he said. "I shouldn't have come. I... I'll be going now." 

"Ryouga." She stood up and put a hand on his arm. "It's okay. I'm sure Ranma knows. He... he wasn't the type to hold a grudge." 

He turned and looked at her, and there was a ghost of a smile in his shadowed eyes. "I know," he said simply. 

She smiled. "I'm glad." She touched his arm. "Ryouga? Remember what I told you before you left, two years ago?" 

He frowned. "What?" 

"I asked you to be happy, remember?" 

He nodded. "Oh, yeah. I remember." 

"Are you?" 

"Happy?" He shrugged. "I don't know." 

"Ryouga." She shook her head at him. "There's no point in dwelling on the past. What's done is done. What good is there in tearing yourself up with grief over something you cannot change?" 

"I know." He brushed the hair from his eyes, and his gaze seemed faraway. "It's just that, sometimes, the memories just keep coming back." 

"I understand. But I meant what I said, Ryouga. Be happy, please." She gestured around her, smiling. "It's hard for everyone, but we do the best we can. And if we live our lives in regret, what good a life is that?" 

Ryouga looked at her, smiling. "You've changed a lot, Akane-san." 

She laughed. "Well, some things in life do that to you." 

"I do the best I can," Ryouga said. "I only hope that, someday, it will be good enough." 

"It will be. I'm sure." 

He looked at her. "It was good to see you again, Akane-san." 

She frowned. "What, you're going already?" 

He nodded. "Thank you for dinner." 

"You could at least spend the -" She trailed off when he shook his head at her. 

"Have you ever noticed, Akane-san, how many people you've sheltered under your roof, at one time or another?" 

She frowned. "What?" 

He held up his hand and started counting. "Ranma, Ranma's father, me, Ukyou, Happosai..." 

"I don't understand." 

"It's because your house provides such a sense of... of *home*. To all of us who haven't had a real home in a long time." He smiled. "We've found a home here with you. But it isn't ours. Soon, we'd have to head out, to find where we really belong. But staying here only weakens that resolve, because the temptation is too great, so much that we'd want to stay here forever." 

He gestured to himself. "I've fallen into that trap too many times in the past. I have to find a place for myself, someplace I can call mine forever. I guess that's what I'm doing now." He cast a wistful look around the place. "And that's why I can't stay." 

She smiled back. "I understand. I won't keep you then." 

Ryouga lifted his huge pack and slung the straps around his shoulders. He followed Akane to the gate, where she paused, turning to smile at him. 

"You're always welcome to visit again, Ryouga," she told him warmly. 

He nodded. "I, too, look forward to seeing you again, Akane." 

"Take care." 

"You too." 

He lifted his hand in a small wave as he walked out, going down the street. Akane watched him until he turned the corner, and was gone from her sight again. 

*Well, Ranma,* she thought. *Two years was a long time, but everyone's been doing well. You'd be glad to hear that, wouldn't you?* 

She cast a look at the dojo, bathed in the warm glow of the setting sun. This was *home*. Her home. The place she'd lived in for the past eighteen years. The place where she'd met Ranma, her first love... where they'd spent so many happy months together, before his life was cut short... 

In a few more weeks, she, too, would be leaving. Leaving behind the warm comfort of her own house, to venture out into a new world outside Nerima. Two years ago, she'd thought she'd be making this transition with Ranma. But now, there was no one. 

Akane smiled sadly to herself as she turned to walk back inside the house. 

She'd never felt so alone.   
  
  


*** End CHAPTER 9 *** 

   [1]: mailto:stiffanie@mailcity.com
   [2]: http://www.angelfire.com/sd/Ranmafanfic/index.html



	10. Decisions

Waiting For You   
A Ranma 1/2 Fanfic By [Stiffanie Flores][1] Homepage: [Ranma Fanfiction by Stiffanie ][2]

Disclaimer : Ranma 1/2 and all characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi. This fanfic is written for enjoyment and self-fulfillment purposes only. 

Chapter 10:  
Decisions   
  


*I love you...* 

"Oh gods," she cried, tightening her arms around his waist. "I love you too. I love you so much..." 

She looked up at him, and he smiled, his eyes aglow with an inner light. *I'm happy.* 

She smiled back, through the tears that blurred her vision. "I'm happy too, now that you're here." She closed her eyes and pressed her face against his neck. "Don't leave me again. Please." 

*But...* 

She felt his fingers brush lightly against her cheek, and she shivered lightly, reaching up to grasp his hand... 

... and her fingers passed ineffectually through thin air. 

Her eyes snapped open, and she started at his blue eyes, blue as the sea. He lifted his hand again, and she saw that he was fading, slowly fading into thin air, she could see right through him, and he reached out to touch her face but she couldn't feel anything, nothing at all... 

"Why?" she cried. "Why do you come here if you have to leave me all over again? Why do you make me go through this again and again?" 

*I love you.* 

Her anger melted away at the gentle understanding she saw in his eyes. "Then please," she begged, "don't leave me. I can't... I don't... I..." 

*I can't stay.* He shook his head sadly. *Not here.* 

"I... I don't understand." 

*You understand. I know you do.* 

"All I know is that I loved you," she said achingly. "But then you left, and now I'm alone." 

*No.* He shook his head. *I'm here with you, always. I love you. I'll wait for you.* 

He reached out to brush his fingers against her cheek. *And if you come, I'll be here.* He smiled. *I promise.* 

Before she could move, he withrew his hand, and he stepped away from her. A shimmer ran through his entire body as he stood still, but the smile was still on his face. 

*I promise,* he repeated, still smiling. And then, he was gone. 

**** 

"Have you ever had a recurring dream, Kasumi?" 

Kasumi looked up, a questioning look in her eyes. "Why, no, Akane. Why are you asking?" 

Akane opened the refrigerator and took out a cold can of juice. "I'm not sure," she answered slowly, as she popped the can open and took a long swig. 

"I mean," she added, brushing the corners of her mouth with the back of her hand, "I'm not sure, because I don't remember anything from the dream every time I wake up. But I think it's the same dream." 

Kasumi frowned thoughtfully. "But how do you know it's the same dream?" 

"By the way I feel, every time I wake up." Akane put a hand on her chest, right over her heart. "I always feel like... like I lost something. Something important." She sighed. "I don't know." 

"And how long has this been going on?" 

"Two or three months now." 

"Hmm." Kasumi picked up a wooden spoon and began stirring a sticky mixture in a big wooden bowl. "I certainly can't recall anything like that happening to me, Akane." 

"I'm just wondering if it means something, that's all." She frowned. "I think I remember reading somewhere that recurring dreams are almost like... premonitions. Of the future." She frowned. 

"Well, I wouldn't worry about it, Akane," Kasumi said pleasantly, still stirring the bowl. "At least not until the dream becomes clearer." 

"You're right, Kasumi." Akane finished the last of her juice and dropped the empty can in the trash. "Hey, what's that?" She came up to Kasumi and peered into the bowl she was holding. Her eyes brightened. "*Brownies*?" 

She eagerly reached forward to dip her finger into the thick chocolate icing. Kasumi gently slapped her hand away. "This is for later," she told her sister. "After you're done with your training, bring him in for some brownies before he leaves, okay?" 

"Shinnosuke?" 

"Well, he did bring some mochi the other day." Kasumi smiled. "We should only return the favor." 

Akane grinned. "Besides, we've fed bigger slobs than him before, right?" she joked, remembering Ranma's - and Genma's - huge appetites. "Okay, I'll bring him in later." 

**** 

Shinnosuke leaned back against the dojo wall. "Well, this is new," he remarked. "You need a favor from me?" He grinned. "It must be good, if you're postponing our sparring for it." 

Akane grimaced. "This is the best choice I have of many, and I'm not exactly jumping for joy here, okay?" 

He crossed his arms around his chest. "And what do I get from this?" he asked, grinning mischievously. 

"A batch of Kasumi's brownies," she told him, her eyes sparkling. 

"Heh. I can get that anyway." 

She pouted. "Yeah, okay, make this hard for me, why don't you." 

He laughed. "Okay, what is it already? You're pricking my curiosity." 

"Say yes." 

"Hey, no fair," he protested. "I gotta find out what it is first, you know." 

"Hmph." She sat down beside him, folding her gi-clad legs underneath her. "You're no fun." 

He poked her lightly with his elbow. "Come on, tell me already," he urged. "All this stalling is making me hungry." He laughed. "Man, brownies. Mmm." 

She perked up. "If all you can think about is food, maybe you won't be too discouraged about my offer." 

He frowned. "What?" 

She swiveled towards him, snatching his hand up and holding it between both of hers. Shinnosuke blinked, surprised. "Akane?" 

"Shinnosuke," she said seriously. "Would you go out with me this Saturday night?" 

Everything else seemed to die down at her words. The wind humming, the water rippling in the koi pond, the sound of a dog barking next door. His breath caught in his throat. "Ahhh," he said, stunned. "...what?" 

Akane sighed. She dropped his hand and scooted back, leaning her head against the wall. "Some friends from school suggested it. Dinner and a movie, the weekend after finals. Tomorrow's our last finals. So the date's set for this Saturday." 

She grimaced. "And it's supposed to be a *romantic* type date." She sighed again. "I know they mean well, but I just don't *feel* like going out with a bunch of guys..." 

He felt his heart plummet down to his shoes. So much for... "Um... what does that have to do with me?" he ventured carefully. 

She didn't glance at him as she spoke. "Well, my friends couldn't exactly threaten me with bodily harm, but they all ganged up against me and *insisted* that I had to go. With a date. And if I didn't have one, they would gladly volunteer to find a date for me." She shook her head. "And I think I have an idea of how they're going to pull it off. They're probably planning to distribute flyers about it around school." 

"Oh." He looked down at his bare feet. For a while there, he *almost* thought... No, she wasn't that kind of girl... 

"Shinnosuke?" He looked up again as she called his name. 

She was looking at him, smiling uncertainly. "Would you?" she asked. "I hate to ask a favor, but they just won't take no for an answer. But then, I thought, I didn't want to go out with just any guy. If I had to go, I want it to be with someone I..." She trailed off. 

He felt his hopes rise again. "Someone you...?" 

"Someone I like. And trust." She smiled at him. "And that's you, Shinnosuke." 

His insides turned to jelly. She could smile at him like that and ask for anything in the world, and he'd walk through hell to get it for her. 

*That's better than nothing,* a voice inside him said. *She could have chosen somebody else.* 

*Shaddup,* he retorted silently. But he had to admit, his heart swelled at the idea that she chose him, over everyone else. That had to mean ... something... didn't it? 

"Shinnosuke?" Her voice was tinged with uncertainty. "If you don't want to, it's okay. I'll just..." 

"No." He met her gaze and smiled, longing to reassure her. "I'd be happy to. Really." 

If anything, the sight of her lovely eyes lighting up in a smile was enough reward for him. "You mean it?" 

He grinned. "Well, I have to admit, I had second thoughts about it, since I'll be missing a few hours of training, but I trust you to make it worthwhile." He laughed as she elbowed him not-so-lightly in the ribs, and he stood up, still smiling. 

"Your move," he told her, his eyes twinkling, as he dropped into a ready stance. She smiled at him, stood up, and sprung at him, her arms a flurry of punches. 

The smile remained on his face for the entire time as they sparred, and for a lot longer after that. 

**** 

"Your time is up, Akane." Yuka slapped her hands down on Akane's table. "We agreed, you have until the last day of finals. So, have you got a date yet, or do we have to find one for you?" 

She shrugged. "It'll be easy enough to find an eager guy who'll agree to date you, you know." Her eyes twinkled. "In fact, it's a task I'm almost looking forward to." She rubbed her hands together, grinning. 

Akane shook her head as she brought her notes out of her bag, for some last minute reviewing before the exam. "Sorry to disappoint you, Yuka, but I already have a date." 

"Really now?" Yuka leaned against her desk. "I'm glad to hear that. As much as I was looking forward to choosing a guy for you, I'd rather hoped that you'd find one on your own. That's the whole point of this date, Akane." She smiled. "So who's the lucky guy?" 

"Shinnosuke." 

"*Shinnosuke?*" Yuka shook her head. "Aww, Akane, that's a dirty trick. You probably bullied him into it." 

Akane frowned. "No, as a matter fact, I -" 

"You challenged him into a fight and if he lost, he'd have to be your date," Yuka interrupted. "And of course, you won. Akane, you're his sensei! Honestly, that's got to be the..." 

"Yuka!" Akane exclaimed. "You're deliberately making things up, and you know it. I asked him nicely, and he agreed. No bullying, no beating him up. Okay? Satisfied?" 

Yuka frowned. "Jeez, Akane. Do you think I get a perverse pleasure out of forcing - no, *asking* you nicely - to go out on a real date?" She shook her head. "It's for your own good, and here you're making it sound like I'm sending you to the gas chamber. I try to help you out, and this is the thanks I get? Well, then, excuse me for -" 

Despite herself, Akane began to laugh. "Cut it out with the melodramatics, Yuka. Honestly, you talk too much." 

Her friend smiled back. "So tell me, how did you ask him?" 

"Nicely." 

"Details, girl. I want details." 

Akane sighed. "I asked him if he'd go out with me Saturday night, and he asked why. So naturally, I explained it to him." 

"You what?!" 

Akane looked at her innocently. "You know. The scam you set up against me. I explained it to him, so he won't get the wrong idea." 

Yuka frowned. "Jeez, Akane, why the heck did you have to go and do *that* for?" She shook her head. "The *entire* point of setting up this date is to get you to go out with a real guy for once, and actually have a good time, and maybe even cultivate a potential relationship." 

She sighed. "Now, not only do you want to go with a guy you've known for years, someone who's actually more of a *brother* to you than a potential boyfriend, you had to go and tell him it's all just *pretend*. Just to make your girlfriends happy, so they'd stop nagging you about it all the time. That's what you told him, isn't it?" 

Akane shrugged. "Well, not in so many words." 

"Are you trying to drive me out of my goddamned mind, Akane?" 

"Yuka, please, no obscenities." 

"Well, you're seriously trying my patience," she exclaimed. "And while we're on the subject, really, Akane, you can be *so* oblivious." 

Akane frowned. "Now what are you talking about?" 

"Who were we talking about just now?" her friend demanded. "*The* man. Shin-boy." 

"So? What's wrong with going out with him? He's a good friend, I've known him for years, and at least I'm sure I'll have a good time with him..." 

"That's not what I meant." Yuka shook her head. "You honestly don't know, do you?" 

Akane shook her head. "You are making no sense, Yuka." 

Her friend sighed. "Jeez, you'd have to be blind not to see it. The way he looks at you, the way he smiles at you with *that* look in his eyes..." 

Akane laughed. "You're crazy, Yuka." 

"Am not!" she protested. "You're just refusing to admit it to yourself. The guy's crazy about you, Akane!" 

"He's just a friend. Nothing more." 

"For you, maybe. But how can you be sure he only thinks of you as a friend?" Yuka grinned assuredly. "Believe me, I've seen the way he looks at you. He's a man in love, only you don't know it. And you're probably breaking his heart by being so close to him, and yet, unattainable, because you only think of him as a friend." She sighed. "Poor guy." 

"Impossible." Akane shook her head. "You're making things up, Yuka." 

"Am not!" 

"Okay, imagining things," Akane amended. "Yuka, he's a friend. A good friend. Probably the best guy friend I've ever had, but still just a friend. Okay?" 

"Fine." Yuka crossed her arms. "Be that way. Don't listen to me. Just don't say I didn't warn you." 

Akane laughed. "I'll keep that in mind." 

"Akane." She was surprised at the solemn tone in Yuka's voice. Yuka took Akane's hand in hers and sighed. "I just want the best for you, Akane," she said. 

Akane smiled gently. "I know that, Yuka. That's why I think you're such a great friend." 

"It's just that..." Yuka struggled for the right words. "You've been so sad since Ranma died, and..." 

"I'm not sad," Akane protested. "At least, not so much anymore. I'm sorry if I was a bit hard to get along with at first, but really..." 

"But sometimes," Yuka insisted, "I watch you when you're alone, and you seem so lonely... you're staring off into space, and you look so sad... you..." She bit her lip, seeming hesitant to ask the next question. "You're still thinking about him, aren't you?" 

"Yuka." Akane's voice was gentle. "Of course I do. Sometimes, I remember him, and I feel sad for what I've lost. It's not that easy, and I could never completely forget about him, even if I wanted to." 

She smiled. "I do the best I can, hoping that someday it will be enough. That's what Ryouga said, the other day. That's what we're all doing, I think," she added, still smiling. "I lost my mother when I was a little girl, and I've never completely forgotten about her. I don't expect it to be any different this time." 

Her friend nodded hesitantly. "I think I understand." 

Akane shook her head. "No offense, Yuka, but you can't possibly understand, not until you've lost someone that important to you," she said feelingly. "No one can." 

Yuka grinned impishly. "I understand." 

The mood was broken, and both girls cracked up, their laughter ringing across the room. Other students glanced over at them to see what was so funny. 

"You're impossible, Yuka," Akane said, still gasping for breath. 

She grinned. "So I've been told." 

Impulsively, Akane leaned up and gave her a hug. "You're a great friend, Yuka," she said softly. "Hajime's lucky to have you." 

Yuka hugged her back, and Akane felt the faint stirrings of sadness well up inside her. Almost like... they were saying goodbye. But why? Goodbye wouldn't be for a few more weeks. 

"Oh, I hope not," Yuka quipped, snapping Akane out of her thoughts. "I'd hoped to have him as more than a friend." 

Akane laughed and drew back, vaguely noticing that tears had begun to build up behind her eyes. 

**** 

Kasumi set two steaming cups of tea and a plate of pork buns on a tray. Her father's last class for the afternoon would be over soon. 

They were holding three classes in the dojo - one in the mornings and two in the afternoons, three days a week. There were barely more than ten students in each class, but that was because most kids were in school at this time. Business was better in the summer, when school would let out for a few weeks. But at least they were making ends meet. And it had been a good decision for Father to begin teaching again. 

Kasumi wiped her hands on her apron before she picked up the tray and carried it out to the dining table. Soun was still in good shape to teach the classes, but Kasumi knew he was looking forward to the day Akane would take over the school by herself. Akane was still in school, but she'd assured their father she still intended to continue the dojo, after she finished college. 

Kasumi remembered the first time Soun had agreed to take up teaching again. He'd readily agreed to the idea of Akane teaching a class with him, when Nabiki had suggested it. They hadn't been sure of how Akane would react, though. Akane had retaken up her training with a renewed passion a few weeks after Ranma died, but they weren't sure if she'd felt up to teaching the Art to other people. 

But Akane had been enthusiastic about the idea. She'd spent the last two summers teaching beginner's classes, and helping out their father with the more advanced classes. 

Kasumi glanced out over the veranda, watching the rays of the afternoon sun glistening on the clear water of the koi pond. The leaves of the trees swayed gently in the light breeze. 

It was so quiet here, Kasumi thought. Even with the sounds coming from the dojo, the yells and thumps, it was still too quiet. Quiet as compared to the lively noise that resided in this house, two years ago. 

So much had happened, she thought. So much had changed. Only two years before, this house had been lively and full of activity, with voices raising to be heard, footsteps thumping on the staircase, and smiles and laughter to be met at the turn of every corner. 

And it was all because of him - he'd come and brought such turmoil into their lives, and yet, his presence had also restored the life in this household. The gods knew they'd needed it then, back when their lives had settled into a routine, and the future had seemed so bleak and uncertain. 

But now, he was gone, and everything was back to the way it was. Almost. Because there were some things that could never be the same again. 

And Akane - she had changed most of all. Before Ranma came, she was such an unhappy girl, filled with anger and insecurities. She was always so angry - it had always been her way of releasing her emotions. 

Kasumi had been so worried about her. She'd sensed the restlessness in Akane's spirit. Her little sister had focused her entire life into her training, leaving no room for anything else. But even then, the sense of discontentment had radiated from her. She'd been like a lost soul, wandering, trying to find its purpose. 

Ranma had changed all that. 

Akane had become a happier girl with Ranma, even if she'd never realized it at the time. She'd found her rightful place beside him, just as Ranma had found his happiness with Akane. And as fate threw them together again and again, the bonds between them only grew stronger, so much that not anyone could break them apart. 

Their road was not without hurdles, though. They'd gotten off on the wrong foot, and time and again, some misunderstanding would come between them. But the more they tried to pull away, the more everyone else tried to break them apart, the strings of fate only pulled them back together again. 

And just when they'd both stopped resisting, the ties were broken forever... 

Although they had been through a similar experience with their mother's death, it had still been a difficult time for all of them, most of all for Akane. But they'd gotten through it okay... hadn't they? 

Kasumi frowned slightly. Akane had changed a lot since Ranma's death, so much that sometimes Kasumi felt she couldn't read her at all. And Akane had always been an easy girl to figure out, with the way she showed her emotions plainly on her face. 

Everyone thought Akane had adjusted remarkably with Ranma's death. She'd taken up her training with a renewed passion, and her skills had improved dramatically. She was doing better than ever in school, and during the summer, she taught beginner's classes at the dojo. She was always smiling, always happy to share a good word with anyone. 

But Kasumi couldn't help but feel a nagging doubt in her heart, that something wasn't right, that everything wasn't as rosy perfect as it seemed it was, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't put her finger on it... 

"Now there's a look on a person who's lost to the rest of the world." 

Kasumi looked up, startled. Her expression quickly melted into one of surprised pleasure. 

"Nabiki!" she exclaimed. "You're home early." 

Nabiki smiled and knelt down at the table. "I finished my last exams a couple of days ago." She grabbed a pork bun from the plate and started nibbling on it. 

Kasumi frowned. "Oh my. Didn't you say you had finals until next week?" 

Nabiki smirked. "Yeah. But I did so well in class that my teachers gave me perfect scores already. I don't need to take the exams." 

Kasumi smiled. "That's nice, Nabiki." 

Her sister grinned and took a sip of tea. "What were you thinking of just now, sis?" 

"Hmm?" Kasumi started to get up. "Excuse me, Nabiki, I'll go get another cup for Father." 

"Aww, let him fetch his own drink," Nabiki said. "He's not a toddler anymore, Kasumi, you don't have to follow two steps behind him, you know." 

Kasumi just smiled and smoothed out her skirt. "I like doing it," she said simply. 

Nabiki shook her head. "Whatever." 

Kasumi stood up and went into the kitchen. Nabiki shrugged to herself as she finished off the pork bun. Man, nothing could beat Kasumi's home cooking, especially not the completely unappetizing dorm food she ate everyday... 

"I was thinking about Akane," came Kasumi's voice, as she came back into the room and set another cup of steaming green tea on the table. 

"Oh yeah." Nabiki grinned. "How's the kid sister doing?" 

"She's hardly a child anymore, Nabiki," her sister chided her. "She's as much grown-up as either one of us." She sighed. "In some ways, even more." 

"Jeez, Kasumi, it was just an expression." Nabiki laughed. "What's with the serious look?" 

"Nabiki." She was surprised at the solemn tone in her sister's voice. "Do you think Akane's happy?" 

Nabiki smiled. "You know, I remember Daddy asked me the very same question two years ago." 

Kasumi looked surprised. "Really? What did you say?" 

She shrugged. "I said I think it'll take her some time, but yeah, she will be, one day." She looked at Kasumi. "Why? What's wrong?" 

The eldest Tendo sister frowned thoughtfully, running a hand through her neat ponytail. "I just get this feeling," she said. "That she isn't as happy as we'd like to think she is." 

"Kasumi." Nabiki reached out to touch her sister's hand briefly. "You're probably just reading too much into it. Akane's fine." She shrugged. "We can't expect that she'll be back to the way she was before. She's been through way too much for that. I mean, you and I, we loved Ranma like a brother. And since he died, so many things have been so different for us. I imagine it must have been so much worse for Akane." 

She grinned. "You know, I find it amusing, this feeling of fondness we have for Ranma. When he was alive, he used to drive me crazy, 'cause he brought us nothing but trouble. Not to mention how much it cost us to keep him under our roof." 

Kasumi smiled. "But despite all that, he'd never intentionally caused trouble for us, and all he'd wanted was a nice home and good friends. He was such a dear boy," she added wistfully. "And Akane loved him very much. So much that it almost hurt to see, sometimes." 

Nabiki nodded. "And it still does, sometimes. I understand." 

Kasumi looked up. "Nabiki, do you think Akane's still... clinging to his ghost?" She shook her head sadly. "How I wish that it isn't so. She'll never be happy, if she does. She'll never let herself be happy." 

Nabiki frowned. "You think so?" 

"Like I said, I don't know for sure." She sighed. "Sometimes, I almost think I'm sure, but then she does something completely different that it'll make me think twice about it. I don't dare ask her, though." 

"I understand. She'll just deny it." 

Kasumi nodded. "And she's still sensitive about the topic. I mean, her coping with Ranma's death. It's not as bad as it used to be, but sometimes, I can almost feel her closing up when I try to talk to her about it." 

Nabiki shrugged. "Well, you'd know better, I suppose, what with living in the same house with her and all that. I'll keep a close watch on her while I'm here. But you know I hope you're wrong." 

"Of course. *I* hope I'm wrong about this, too." Her eyes were sad, as she met Nabiki's gaze. "I just want her to be happy." 

"And she knows that," Nabiki said reassuringly. "I'm sure of that, at least. For two years, we've tried to let her know, every chance we get, that *we* are still here for her, and that we love her." 

Kasumi smiled. Suddenly things didn't look so gloomy anymore. "I'm glad you're home, Nabiki," she said feelingly. 

Nabiki grinned. "I've missed you, too." She snagged another bun from the plate. "And your cooking, of course." 

**** 

*... I feel like I've loved you my entire life, even though I only met you a little over two years ago. Ever since then, you've been the purpose of my existence, the light of my life, the reason I wake up every morning with such high hopes for the new day...* 

"Shinnosuke," a voice called from downstairs. "Come get some lunch!" 

He ignored the voice, his brow furrowed as he continued writing. 

"...will you make this dream come true for me?" he mumbled, pen scribbling over paper. "And give me a chance to try to make you happy?" 

He lowered his pen slowly, staring at the short page so intently the words started to blur in front of his eyes. 

He shook his head, sighing. Another waste of time. Who was he kidding, anyway? He could never find the right way to tell her how he felt - what made him think a letter would be easier? 

Bending down, he opened the bottom drawer of his desk and pulled out a plain brown shoebox. Lifting the lid, he stared at the contents for a long time. 

Letters. Folded sheets of smooth, cream paper lay in a pile, untouched since he'd stashed them in the box. 

Two years worth of discarded letters - if that didn't equal pathetic, he didn't know what did. 

He picked up the letter he'd just written and laid the paper flat on the table and folded it twice, running his palm along the edges to smoothen them out. 

He stared at the contents of the box a long time, before he shook his head and dropped his newest letter inside, wondering if he'd ever write her a letter and actually be able to give it to her. He wondered if he should even try. 

*What to do?* he wondered morosely, for the thousandth time in the past few months. *To tell or not to tell... to tell or not...* 

He'd wanted to for the longest time, but uncertainty had always held him back. What if she didn't reciprocate? What if she'd never even entertained the idea? What if he lost her forever, even just as a friend? 

It had been one of the hardest things he'd had to do, to stand by and watch her grieve the loss of the man she'd loved. He'd thought he'd known just how much love hurt, back in Ryugenzawa, when he saw the way she'd looked at Ranma, how *perfect* they'd looked together. 

After the Orochi had been defeated, he'd stood a few steps away from them, watching the way they stood together, how Ranma was standing so close to her - protective without being possessive, looking ready to take on the world for her sake. He'd seen the way she'd smiled at him, and realized sadly that no matter how hard he tried, nothing he did was ever going to make her smile at him that way. And so, regretfully, he'd stepped aside, not wanting to stand in the way of her happiness. 

It was amazing, he thought now, how someone's presence lingered on even after he's gone. Ranma was dead, but for Akane, he might as well have been alive. Everything she did, everything she saw, reminded her of him. She'd never cried, but his heart had ached at the terrible sadness he'd seen in her eyes. 

There was nothing he could have done to help her, to ease her pain. He could only stand by and watch her pick up the pieces of her life, only reaching out a helping hand when she allowed him to. 

He thought he'd forgotten her. But being with her rekindled the same feelings he'd thought he'd buried long ago. 

He rubbed his temples wearily. Why did love have to be so complicated? In the movies, it was always so simple. Boy falls in love with girl, girl falls in love with boy, they live happily ever after. 

He opened the top drawer and pulled out a framed photograph, his eyes lighting up at the memory. He and Akane were sparring - it had been their daily routine only weeks after he'd moved into town. Akane's skills had been mediocre then - he'd been way better than her, both in skill and experience. Akane's fighting style was clear and distinctive - and often as choppy as the ocean waves during a storm - and he'd always found no trouble in reading her moves. He'd defeat her easily each time they sparred, and each time she'd challenge him for another fight the next day. It developed into a pattern, and they knew each other well enough to be comfortable with it. 

That day, however, everything started to change. He'd leapt in the air, lunging straight at her, catching her right arm just before it connected with his face. Falling in midair, with her body under him, he held on to her arm, and started to pull back his other arm to score a hit at her midsection. 

Suddenly, she'd grinned, shattering his concentration. Her other arm lashed out to grip his arm firmly, and with a cry of triumph, her legs sprang out from underneath him to flip him over in midair, letting go of his arm as she did. Stunned, he went flying across the room, hit the far end of the dojo, and slid down the wall, slumping down on the smooth, lacquered floor. 

He'd lain, stunned, unable to believe what just happened. Then, a shadow fell over him, and he looked up. There she was, her hair in mild disarray, her face and neck drenched in sweat - and her eyes were lit up in the biggest smile he'd ever seen. 

He'd stared helplessly, unmoving, and in that one moment, every ounce of feeling he'd had for her came rushing back, washing over him like a tidal wave. 

He loved her. The gods help him, he still loved her. 

"Can you stand up?" she'd asked. 

She'd held out her hand, and he reached out to grasp it, letting her pull him to his feet. They'd stood facing each other, hands still clasped between them, grinning crazily at each other. Nabiki, who'd been standing at the far end of the dojo watching the entire match, had captured the moment perfectly on film. 

His mouth turned up in a small smile as he gazed at the photograph. Breathless, her eyes alive with laughter, Akane was at the epitome of herself - gazing at the photograph, he felt as if her entire essence leapt out at him from the picture. 

He loved her - he loved her for all the things she was, for all the things she would be someday. 

And it hurt like *hell* to think that he'd never get a chance to tell her how he felt. 

He put his head in his hands. Why did it have to be so hard? 

"Shinnosuke!" 

He sighed and pushed back his chair, even as his thoughts still remaining on the one subject that had plagued his mind for months. 

*To tell or not to tell...* 

**** 

"You should have seen it." Yuka poked Akane lightly, smiling. "She was actually *crying*." 

"Really?" Sayuri commented. 

"Was not," Akane protested. "Just had an eyelash in my eye, that's all." 

Yuka snorted. "Jeez, Akane, that's got to be the lamest excuse in the book." She grinned. "I know I'm the best friend and all that, but you didn't have to go all weepy over me, you know." 

"I told you, I..." Akane broke off, sighing. "Oh, never mind. I'm too happy to argue with you, Yuka." 

"That's right." Yuka let out a loud whoop. "Finals are over! *School's* over! Goodbye, Furinkan!" 

"And hello, college!" Sayuri chimed in. 

"Hello, new clothes!" 

"And cute boys!" 

"Well, I'm not sure about that," Yuka said. "I have a boyfriend, after all." She paused, brightening. "I can look, though, can't I? Okay, cute boys, here we come!" 

Akane shook her head, laughing. "I'm not sure, but don't you guys seem to be forgetting something? Like, *studying*?" 

"Well, there's more to life than just studying, Akane," Sayuri said. 

"Just what I was gonna say," Yuka exclaimed. "Don't tell me you're going to college just to sit in your room all night counting the dots in your wallpaper?" 

"Oh, please, not another lecture." Akane sighed. "I still haven't recovered from the last one." 

Yuka smirked. "Okay, let's schedule that for next week, Miss Tendo," she said, mimicking the nasal voice of the school psychiatrist. "Monday, same time?" 

Sayuri burst into laughter, and Akane joined in. "Come on," she laughed. "I'm not that crazy yet." 

"Of course not," Yuka joked. She put an arm around Sayuri's shoulders, winking. "Why, with such wonderful friends like us, you *know* we'd never let you down, Akane!" 

Akane snickered. "Ah jeez, and Shinnosuke calls *me* obnoxious." 

"I think you'd make a very cute couple, Akane," Yuka said slyly. 

"What was that?" Sayuri asked eagerly. "Shinnosuke? He's the cute guy who's always visiting Akane, right?" 

Akane rolled her eyes, while Yuka said in a loud whisper, "Don't get any ideas. He's got the hots for Akane." 

"Do not!" Akane exclaimed. "Don't you ever give up, Yuka?" 

She smirked. "Never. Especially not when I think I'm right." 

"What's wrong with Shinnosuke?" Sayuri asked. "What have you got to complain about, Akane? You always get the cutest guys." 

Akane blinked, caught off guard at the sudden change in topic. "What?" 

Sayuri shrugged. "Ranma was the cutest hunk in town, and you know it. The only reason the other girls didn't pant after him was because everyone knew you two were joined at the hip." 

"What? We did nothing but fight everyday! You call that a good relationship?" 

"Akane," Yuka sighed, looking like she was explaining something so simple to a five-year-old kid. "We weren't hard of sight before, and we aren't now. He was even crazier about you than Shinnosuke is, and it was only you and those loons chasing after him who didn't know it." 

Akane was taken aback. "Really?" she breathed. "I didn't know you -" 

"Well, how could you know?" Yuka said impatiently. "Just when he actually displays his real feelings for you, you're either not around, or you're too busy being angry at him to see it." 

"Like the time you ran after Shampoo, he was so worried about you," Sayuri provided helpfully. "And then you got that temporary amnesia and forgot about him." 

"Or when he threw that fishcake at that stupid guy-skater who tried to kiss you," Yuka added. "He tried so damned hard to keep that lecher's hands off you during the entire stupid match, and you never noticed it!" 

"And there's the time he saved you after that whirlwind attack," Sayuri put in. "You were unconscious, so you didn't know, but you almost hit the fence there. He saved you, and you didn't have a single scratch." 

"And all those times he saved you from the old pervert and got himself in a compromising situation. He knew you'd pound him for it, but he did it anyway!" 

"And I could never forget how much he hoped you'd give him a chocolate for Valentines, and how he looked when he realized it was from the little girl -" 

"Okay, okay!" Akane held up her hands. "No need to overdo it. I get the point already." Inside, she was a whirlwind of emotions. "Why are you telling me all of this *now*?" 

"Would you have listened before?" Yuka demanded. 

Akane began to bristle. "Hey, you..." 

"That was your problem, Akane," Yuka told her bluntly. "You didn't trust him enough. You never did. That's what kept you from realizing your feelings for him sooner." 

Sayuri poked her friend in her side. "Yuka..." 

Akane, however, was silent. She already knew this, but hearing the words somehow made her hurt all over again. "I know." She closed her eyes. "Believe me, I know. And not a single day passes that I don't regret it." 

Yuka's eyes softened. "That's why we're telling you all of this now," she said gently. "We don't want you to make the same mistakes again, Akane. To have to love a guy that much, and realize it too late." 

Impulsively, Yuka stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Akane, enclosing her in a tight hug. "You're going to find someone who can make you happy for the rest of your life," she assured her. "I just know it." 

*God knows you deserve it, after everything you've been through,* she thought silently. 

Akane broke the embrace first, stepping back as her hands flew up to wipe the wetness that gathered at her eyes. "Oh jeez," she said, laughing helplessly. 

"Twice in the same day." Yuka smirked. "I'm so flattered, Akane." 

She snorted. "Yeah, right." 

Yuka frowned. "Why are we talking about this anyway?" she asked suddenly, glancing at Sayuri, who shook her head in confusion. 

"I thought we were talking about Shin-boy!" 

Despite her puzzled emotions, Akane couldn't help but laugh. 

**** 

Nabiki watched as her sister slowly, methodically punched a thick wooden post, her moves smooth and fluid. 

"Gave up on straw dummies already?" 

Akane paused and turned to smile at her. "Well, I'm not fashioning them with little bow ties and a little clip-on faux pigtail anymore, if that's what you're asking." 

Nabiki grinned. "How's the training going?" 

Akane went back to her kata. "Great." Her sister watched as she released a flurry of punches on the post, then did a short leap and spun around, her foot flashing out to score a perfect hit. 

"Isn't that one of Ranma's moves?" Nabiki asked. 

She wiped a trickle of sweat from her brows and nodded. "I'm using most of the moves he did." She grinned. "Well, almost. Except for those ridiculous feats of strength and speed, spurred by his indomitable male ego." 

"What was that again? Chestnut fist?" 

She nodded. "Kacchu Tenshin Amaguriken. And his ki attacks, of course. I have yet to learn some on my own." She walked over to the veranda where Nabiki sat and grabbed the towel beside her, wiping the sweat off her face and neck. 

"Where's your sparring partner?" 

"Shinnosuke?" Akane sat down and slung the towel around her neck. "He had to go somewhere else today." 

"How come?" 

Akane snorted. "Why ask me? I'm not his keeper." 

Nabiki smiled. "Well, I hear that you two are inseparable lately. Are you sure there isn't anything you're not telling me?" 

Akane shook her head. "Oh no, you don't. I've had enough of this for one day." 

Nabiki's grin broadened. "Really? Who else had brought it up?" 

"Yuka and Sayuri. Mostly Yuka." Akane blew out a breath. "Like there's anything weird about being great friends with a guy." 

Nabiki shrugged. "Let people say what they want, Akane. It's never bothered us before, when people would say much worse things about Ranma. Why start now?" 

Akane scowled. "It's certainly never bothered you before. After all, if I remember correctly, *you* were the one responsible for spreading the word around." 

"Ah, well, those were the good old days." Nabiki smiled at her sister. "Ranma didn't seem to mind all that much, so why should you?" 

"That," Akane joked, smiling back, "is because he was nothing but a stupid, oblivious jock who couldn't see past his own nose to -" 

"Were you girls talking about me?" 

Shinnosuke came out into the backyard, one hand stuffed in his pants pocket, another holding a small bottle of distilled water. He tossed the bottle to Akane, who caught it in one hand. 

"Speak of the devil." Nabiki watched as her sister broke the cap with a sharp twist and took a long gulp. "Didn't know you were so thoughtful, Shin," she remarked. 

Akane grinned. "He is that. Wouldn't know what I'd do without him," she joked. 

Her sister noted, with much amusement, that Shinnosuke's ears were tinged pink. Nope, she hadn't lost her old touch yet. She'd have to have a word with her sister later. This was obviously an infatuated man. 

"Can I talk to you, Akane?" He put a hand behind his head and smiled sheepishly. "Privately?" 

*Nope, not just that,* Nabiki thought as she stood up. *Bewitched. _Enraptured_.* 

"That was my cue," she said aloud, stuffing her hands in the pockets of her shorts. "See you at dinner, Akane. You too, Shin." 

"Thanks, Nabiki," he called back. "Glad to see you, too." 

"So." Akane stood up beside him. "What's up?" 

He gestured for her to follow him, and they walked around the house to the tall building at the back. 

Akane smiled as they reached the dojo. "Got a new move to show me?" 

"Err, no." He pointed a finger towards the sky. "We're going up." 

*It's not too late. You can still back out. You can still save this,* came the nagging whisper from the back of his head. 

*Aww, shuddap,* he retorted silently, as he braced himself for the tall jump. *Now that I finally listen to you, you suddenly begin singing a different tune,* he thought darkly. *It figures.* 

His feet left the ground, and he felt the rush of cool afternoon air across his face for a brief moment, until his feet landed smoothly on the roof. A second later, he heard the soft clang of brick tiles as Akane stepped up behind him. 

"What's up, Shinnosuke?" came her laughing voice. "Why bring me in here for nothing?" 

He turned to face her. "I...uh... I got something for you." He tried to smile. "Ah... it's ... er..." Silently cursing as intelligent speech fled him, he turned and picked up the small bouquet of red roses he'd left here earlier, before he went to find her. 

Akane's eyes widened at the sight of the beautiful red blossoms. "Oh wow," she said softly, as he handed her the roses. "They're beautiful." 

Shinnosuke looked at her flushed cheeks and shimmering brown eyes, and silently disagreed. *_You're_ beautiful.* 

"Thank you," she said softly, her eyes shining as she looked up to meet his gaze. And his breath caught in his throat. 

"Uh... happy graduation," he finished lamely. 

She sat down on the tiles and smiled up at him. "I won't be graduating in a few days yet." 

He sat down beside her. "Call it an advance gift, then." 

They sat in comfortable silence for a while. Finally, Akane spoke up. "The date's on for Saturday, by the way." 

"Saturday," he thought aloud. "Two days from now." 

"That's right." She smiled sideways at him. "Why? Got nothing to wear yet?" 

He smiled back. "No, it's not that. But I was meaning to ask you what color of dress you'll be wearing." 

"I haven't thought about it yet. Why?" 

"So I could get a matching corsage, of course." 

"Naw, you don't have to do that, Shin." She smiled at him and gestured to the bouquet of roses lying beside her. "This was a wonderful present. Really." 

He hesitated. "Well, whether you like it or not, I've got something else for you." Slowly, he brought a small, gaily wrapped box out of his pocket and held it out to her. 

She stared at his outstretched hand. "Shinnosuke," she said, smiling. "What's this for?" 

"Go on, take it. Please." He stretched his tight, nervous features into a smile. "Call it an advance graduation present," he said. 

"You shouldn't have, Shinnosuke," she told him, as she took the box from his hands. "Why'd you go to so much trouble?" 

He didn't answer. He just watched anxiously as she tore the wrapping away, and opened the box to reveal... 

"Do you like it?" Shinnosuke asked nervously. 

It was a glass paperweight. It was shaped in a dome, and inside the glass dome was a beautifully carved crystal rose blossom. The late afternoon sun glistened on the crystal petals, splashing the sculpture with the bright colors of a rainbow. 

"Shinnosuke," she said softly, looking up at him. "It's... it's beautiful." She shook her head. "It must have cost a fortune, Shinnosuke. I can't..." 

He shook his head, ignoring her outstretched hand as she tried to return the sculpture to him. "I bought it for you. Please accept it, as a token of..." 

"Our friendship?" She smiled. "There's no need for trinkets like this between us, Shin. You know that." 

"Akane..." He hesitated, and took both her hands in his. 

*Tell her! Tell her now, before you lose your chance!* He looked into her surprised gaze, and summoned the remaining scraps of his courage. 

"Our friendship has meant the world to me, too," he began. "You know that. You always tell me how much I've helped you get over the past, but you've done just as much for me. Just by being here... you fill an emptiness in my life... in here..." He let go of one hand and touched his palm to his chest. 

She smiled. "I get it. You'll miss me while I'm gone in college, right?" 

He took a deep breath. "When I first saw this crystal rose, I thought of you. "Akane..." 

He gestured to the bouquet of roses lying beside her. "The flowers I just gave you are pretty, but they'll die in a few days." His hand closed over the crystal paperweight she held, cupping her hand in both of his. 

"But *this* rose will last forever," he said, staring into her eyes. "It won't wilt, it won't die. It won't ever change." He paused, wetting his lips. "Just like how I feel for you." 

Her eyes widened at that. "Shinnosuke..." 

"That's right," he said quietly, as she stared at him helplessly. "I'm telling you I love you, Akane." 

She was still staring at him, her mouth slightly agape, and he was unable to tell what she was thinking. Awkwardly, he let go of her hands and let his arms fall back to his sides. Akane looked down at her feet, speechless, her hand still clutching the glass paperweight. The silence was becoming unbearable. 

"Please, Akane," he implored. "Say something." 

She looked up hesitantly to meet his gaze. "I ... I don't know what to say," she admitted. 

"Don't you dare say thank you," he said hoarsely. "That's the last thing I want to hear." 

She threw him a weak smile, returning her gaze to the crystal sculpture she held. A part of her that had recovered from the initial shock was wasting no time in berating her naivete. *Well, whaddya know,* it whispered gleefully. *Yuka was right.* 

"You're probably wondering," came Shinnosuke's voice, "why I'm telling you all of this now." He tried to smile. "I mean, why tell you *now*? When you're about to leave for college in a few more weeks, right?" 

He swallowed. "I wanted to tell you for the longest time, but a part of me always held me back. Because..." He looked at her pleadingly. "Because I know you only think of me as a friend, Akane. And I keep telling myself I shouldn't be asking for more." 

He looked away. "But the other part of me wanted you to know how I feel. That at least I might be able to tell you, even if I know it wouldn't do any good, I just wanted you to know..." 

"Oh, Shinnosuke," she protested softly. "Don't say that. I - I'm just..." She managed a weak smile. "I just need some time to think about this, that's all." 

He looked at her hopefully. "I can give you all the time you need, Akane," he said. "I'll wait for you, I promise. I can wait until you feel you're ready, and..." 

He stopped when she shook her head. "I can't possibly ask you to do that, Shinnosuke," she said. "It's too much. I can't..." 

"No," he told her, taking her hand. "I've been prepared for this ever since the moment I realized I was still in love with you. 

"I'll wait for you. I'll always be here for you. No matter what happens." 

They were both silent, both with no more words to say, so they sat quietly, side by side, staring up at the afternoon sky. The sun, hanging low in the western horizon, was a huge orange orb melting into the sky, spreading orange splashes of color across the sky and clouds, and bathing everything within its radius in a warm, orange glow. 

Akane tilted her head up and closed her eyes, feeling the warm caress of dying sunlight on her face. She wondered briefly, why, after sharing the sunset with her friend countless times in the past, today suddenly seemed so different. 

Hearing Shinnosuke's softly drawn breath beside her, she could tell he was thinking the same thing. 

**** 

On Saturday morning, Akane woke up with a headache. 

"Oooh," she moaned, as she propped herself up on her elbows. "I feel awful." 

"You should," came Nabiki's voice as she came into her room. "Do you have any idea what time it is, young lady?" 

Akane's gaze strayed to the digital alarm clock beside her bed. "So I overslept a little," she mumbled. "Big deal." 

Her sister smirked. "You're just in time, though. Shinnosuke wants to talk to you." 

"What, right now?" She threw back the covers and sat up. 

"No need to hurry, Akane," Nabiki said as she started to back out of the room. "It's good to keep a man waiting," she added, grinning. "I'll tell him you'll be right down, okay?" 

Akane smiled back, hoping her expression wasn't showing any of the uneasiness she felt. She hadn't spoken to Shinnosuke since the other day, when he'd told her he... loved her. 

Shinnosuke! Her best friend, in love with *her*. What's worse, she wasn't sure how she felt about him. He was a wonderful person, sure, and she'd told him on more than one occasion that she was so lucky to have someone like him. 

But did she *love* him? She's certainly never thought about it. 

But then again, he was a wonderful person, and how hard could it be to learn to love someone like him? 

"Oh no, don't you start," she mumbled as she threw open the doors of her cabinet, intending to change into a T-shirt and shorts. 

"Akane!" Nabiki's voice came up from down the stairs. "Just how long do you plan to keep a guy hanging on a phone?" 

"Phone?" she repeated. Slamming her cabinet closed, she marched out of her room and down the stairs. "Well, why didn't you say so?" 

She snatched the receiver from Nabiki's hand and held it to her ear. "Hello?" 

"Akane?" She could hear the uneasiness in Shinnosuke's voice. "Good morning." 

"Good morning to you, too," she replied, as she glared at her sister, shooing her away with one hand. "What's up?" 

He laughed nervously. "Well, actually, it's about our date tonight." 

*Oh, that's right!* she thought. *Jeez, Akane, haven't you been zoned out,* she thought wryly. 

"What about it?" she asked. "You aren't having second thoughts about it, are you?" She tried to insert a teasing note in her voice. "'Cause I can't find a replacement in such short notice, you know." 

"No, it's not that. I'm looking forward to it, if you aren't... I mean, if you haven't ... um..." 

"Changed my mind?" she prompted. "Of course not. Then what's the problem?" 

She could almost hear his sigh of relief. "Well, it's grandpa, actually. He has a doctor's appointment later this afternoon. Auntie was supposed to go with him, but she has to meet a client today, and I don't want grandpa to go alone..." 

"No problem," she answered. "You can meet me after you bring your grandpa home from the doctor." 

"Are you sure it's okay?" he asked. "You know grandpa, he insists he'll be fine, but still..." 

"It's okay, Shinnosuke. Really. I'll meet you at five o'clock, at the park, and we can go to the restaurant together. Okay?" 

"That's fine. Thanks a lot. And... Akane?" 

"Hmm?" 

"I'm... uh... looking forward to tonight. Very much." She could almost hear the blush in his voice. 

She smiled. "Me too, Shin. See you later." 

"You, too." He hung up. 

Akane replaced the phone into its cradle and turned around. Nabiki was still standing behind her, smirking. "What was that all about?" 

Akane shrugged. "Dinner and a movie tonight. With Yuka, Sayuri, and their dates." She moved past Nabiki, intending to get a late-morning snack from the kitchen. 

"Really? Sounds like fun." 

"You can wipe that knowing smirk off your face, dear sister. Yuka set the whole thing up." 

"Akane?" From behind, Nabiki put a hand on her shoulder, and Akane paused, turning around. 

For a change, Nabiki's face was completely serious, devoid of any amusement or gloating. "Don't keep the guy dangling, Akane," she said quietly. "But don't go rushing into a relationship without being sure of your own feelings for him. And if you decide to turn him down, be careful not to hurt him too much. Okay?" 

Again, Akane was amazed at how easily Nabiki could read her emotions. "I understand." 

Nabiki smiled. "Good." 

Akane sighed. "Just how long have you guys known about it, anyway?" 

"Far longer than you have, sister." Nabiki laughed. "Far longer." 

**** 

Nabiki rapped her knuckles on Akane's door. "Akane?" she called. Finding the door unlocked, she turned the knob, and let herself in. "Kasumi asked if you were dressed yet. You're running late." 

She saw Akane hastily cram a thin notebook inside her top drawer, before she turned to face Nabiki. 

"Sorry, I guess I forgot the time," Akane replied. 

Nabiki peered closely at Akane's face, noting the puffy redness in her eyes. "Are you okay, sis?" she asked. 

Akane nodded. "I'm fine," she answered. 

"You haven't been crying, have you?" her sister asked suspiciously. 

"Of course not. Why would I do that?" 

"Oh, I don't know. Perhaps because of the fact that this is your first real date since Ranma's death, and you're feeling guilty?" 

"Don't be ridiculous, Nabiki." Akane stood up and slipped on a pale blue blazer, matching the blue sleeveless dress she was wearing. 

"That's good, then." She touched Akane's arm gently, smiling. "You've mourned Ranma long enough, Akane. It's time to rejoin the land of the living." 

Akane smiled back. "I know that." 

"Who knows, you might even have a good time tonight. It might be the start of a new life for you." Nabiki grabbed the silver haircomb from Akane's hand and ran it through Akane's short hair, pinning it above her right ear. "And if it doesn't work out, well... consider it a good experience. Either way, you have to move on with your life." 

Akane nodded. "I know." She reached for the jewelry box lying on her bed, picking out a plain gold necklace. 

"I'll tell Kasumi you'll be right down." With that, Nabiki walked out of her room, closing the door behind her. 

She started to fasten the gold chain around her neck when she glimpsed a black velvet box peeking out from the bottom of the jewelry case, half-hidden by a tangle of pearls. 

She smiled to herself as she flipped open the box, seeing the pretty blue stones wink up at her. Perfect. They matched the dress she was wearing perfectly. 

Without a second's hesitation, she lifted the necklace from the case, and fastened it around her neck, and put on the matching earrings next. She laid a hand over her throat, feeling the cool stones against her skin. A soft smile played across her lips, as she recalled Ranma's anxiety when he'd given her the jewelry for her birthday two years ago. It seemed so long ago. Oh, Ranma... 

As if on cue, Nabiki's voice rang out in her head, jolting her out of her thoughts. *You have to move on with your life...* 

Akane smiled sadly, her hand still clutching the blue pendant to her throat. "Everyone tells me that," she whispered, hurriedly blinking away her tears. "But it's so hard. Does anyone know how hard it is?" 

**** 

Akane walked down the street, the light afternoon wind ruffling her hair, the sun catching the highlights in her short blue-black hair. 

She remembered briefly the last time she'd gone on a date, two years ago. She'd been on her way to the exact same park, to meet Ranma, whom she'd thought was waiting for her, to make up for their arguments for the past several days, to restore their engagement. 

She remembered how she'd felt then - giddy, excited, full of hope and longing. She remembered getting dressed in her best outfit, putting on a little makeup, and pulling her hair back with little barrettes. She remembered walking slowly, a smile on her lips, her fingers tightening anxiously on the little white handbag she carried. 

Now... she was dressed up, in one of her best outfits, and she'd put on some powder and a little lipstick, and she was wearing her hair pulled back by a silver haircomb, and she was even carrying the same white handbag... 

So why did this date feel so different from the one two years ago? she wondered. After all, it was almost the same. Walking to the same park to meet her date, which, like the one before, had been arranged by someone else for them... About the only thing different was the man she was going to meet. 

Then again, she thought, as she passed through the small vacant lot near their house, where she smiled at a couple of children she'd taught last summer, were the two men that different at all? 

Ranma and Shinnosuke... both men loved her, even if the first one had never said it when he was alive, and the second one had said it far before she'd been ready to hear it. Both of them were strong and handsome, both with kind and generous hearts, both with the same bumbling naivete when it came to confessing their feelings... 

Of course, Ranma had more often managed to make her angry than make her smile when he was alive, and Shinnosuke had never done anything but try to make her happy for as long as she'd known him... 

There were so many things alike about the two of them, and so little things that were different - insignificant things, really, like Ranma's arrogance, and Shinnosuke's gentle understanding - so why did she feel like the two were as different as night from day? 

Shinnosuke was kind and sweet and understanding, and without him, she knew she'd have gotten a much harder time getting through the past two years than she had. He was gentle and soft-spoken, and though she could tell his hands were used to hard, toilsome work, they were always gentle, when he would put his arms on her to guide her around a particular technique they were studying. 

And Ranma... 

Akane sighed to herself as she paused at the corner of a street with a small crowd of people, waiting for the light to change. Ranma was all of those things too, when he wasn't being obnoxious and insensitive to her feelings, not to mention being a hard-headed, hot-tempered, stubborn mule... 

Shinnosuke was all the things that was good about Ranma, minus all the faults. Why *shouldn't* she love him, when he was made of all the things she'd loved about Ranma? 

*Arrgh, what am I doing?* she groaned silently. *Like itemizing one's character traits is going to do me any good.* 

Someone nudged her from behind, and she looked up, vaguely noticing that everyone else had started walking. She quickened her pace, hurrying to cross the street before the light turned red again. 

*Besides, you already made up your mind, remember?* she reminded herself. *Don't back up on me now, girl.* 

Suddenly, unbidden, memories came flooding into her mind, clouding her senses. Shinnosuke, leaping through the air with her, guiding her patiently through a difficult kata... Ranma, ignoring her as he was engrossed in a manga, dodging all her blows with effortless ease... 

Shinnosuke, glancing dubiously at the plate of food in front of him, but obediently taking a bite after a glance at her hopeful face... Ranma, his eyebrow twitching as he glared at her latest culinary disaster, then promptly making some snide comment about how he swore he'd seen pig slush that looked better... 

Shinnosuke, complimenting her on a new outfit, or a new move she'd learned... Ranma, commenting snidely about how the only outfit suited for her was her training gi, and how she'd never be anything but a stupid, clumsy tomboy... 

But, then again... 

Ranma, agreeing to dress up in a leotard and fight Kodachi... Ranma, rising to protect her from Mikado even after being smashed full-force against a cement wall... Ranma, spurred by his indomitable will, fighting to protect her from Herb, the Orochi in Ryugenzawa, and finally, Saffron... 

Ranma, volunteering to eat the batch of cookies she'd baked, after realizing he'd hurt her feelings by refusing, and spending the rest of the day sick as a result... 

Ranma, blushing furiously as she stood before him, dressed in her wedding gown... 

"..." Akane barely felt the sting of tears in her eyes, blurring her vision. 

Ranma, fighting Shinnosuke in a jealous rage in Ryugenzawa... backing out, letting her go free with the man he'd thought she'd chosen over him... leaving Shinnosuke and Ryugenzawa, going home with her, holding her hand... 

"Ranma..." 

She drew a long, shaky breath. Memories, *feelings* she'd thought she'd buried long ago, suffocating her, threatening to bury her under its weight... 

*I can't do this!* Gasping, she turned around, starting to run back the way she came, running back down the street, heedless of the cries of warning from the people around her... 

... heedless of the traffic light in front of her blurred vision, furiously blinking a warning red... 

*I can't do this,* she thought, tears streaking down her face as she ran. *I'm sorry... I can't... I...* 

"Watch out, girl!" 

The thin cry pierced through her fogged senses, and she paused, instinctively turning to the source of the sound... 

Vaguely, she heard the squeal of tires, smelled the scent of burning rubber... 

... felt a brief, sharp, burning pain, and she was thrown away, hurling through the air, landing hard on the ground, feeling another sharp stab of pain in her arm from the impact... 

... vaguely hearing the murmur of voices around her, feeling a throbbing pain in her side, clouding her senses... the sun glaring in her eyes, even as she closed them and turned her head... 

... feeling her fingers on her injured arm twitch slowly, weakly... hearing the sound of sirens growing nearer and nearer... 

... and finally, darkness. 

**** 

"I'm sorry." The young doctor's eyes were sad as he glanced at them. "We've done everything we could." 

He shook his head. "She has broken ribs, a broken arm, a concussion from hitting the pavement too hard, internal bleeding..." He broke off, smiling weakly at them. "I'm sorry. You don't need to hear this right now." 

Nabiki nodded shortly. She glanced at Soun and Kasumi, who were sitting together on the cold, plastic benches in the hospital corridor. Kasumi was holding her father's hand in a comforting grip, but Soun was deathly quiet. 

He raised tired, shadowed eyes to meet the doctor's gaze. "What are her chances?" he asked, his voice flat. 

The doctor sighed. "As I've said, we've done all we could for her. We've repaired as much of the damage as possible, but..." He paused. "I advise you to be prepared for the worst." 

"No... hope at all?" Kasumi asked, a tremor in her voice. 

"It's all up to her now. We doctors can only do so much. We try to repair as much of the damage as possible, but the final decision on whether she lives or not lies in her own hands." He smiled sadly. "I'm sorry." 

Nabiki nodded. "Thanks, doctor." 

"No problem. I'll come to check on her again later tonight." With that, he walked away. 

Nabiki sat down beside her father. "Daddy?" 

Her father's expression remained stony. "Nabiki." Even his voice sounded devoid of any emotion. Nabiki suppressed a shudder. "What's going to happen to your sister?" 

"You heard the doctor, Daddy. They don't know, either." She squeezed her father's arm comfortingly. "But they don't know Akane, Dad. She's a fighter. She won't give up so easily. You know that." 

"But..." 

"But what, Father?" Kasumi prompted. 

"But it's been so long since she was like that," their father continued stonily. "She hasn't been strong since Ranma died. I can see she was trying to, but..." His expression crumpled, as he leaned into his eldest daughter's arms. "She tries so hard to be strong," he sobbed, the tears finally coming, "but I can see that she isn't. My little girl..." 

Nabiki looked away, as Kasumi tried to comfort their father. Her father's words struck too close to the truth than she would have liked. Too close. 

Akane would get well. She had to. They hadn't been through the ordeal of the past two years for nothing. 

*That's right,* she thought, her face tightly expressionless. *Nothing to do now but wait.* 

**** 

The door of the hospital room burst open, and Shinnosuke stumbled in, a stricken expression on his face. 

Nabiki watched as his initial shock gave way into disbelief, and finally... fear. 

His gaze swiveled across the room to rest on her, and fear gave way into pleading. "Nabiki," he implored. "Akane..." 

"There's no change," she said flatly. "No change at all. The doctors say that if she doesn't make a turn for the better after tonight, it's likely that she never will." 

His gaze widened at that, and his gaze turned back to Akane. Nabiki watched as a kaleidoscope of emotions played across his features - worry, fear, and ... guilt? 

"I was waiting for her at the park," he said, almost too softly for her to hear. "I was a few minutes early, and I took a seat while waiting for her. I waited for hours," he cried, his voice rising with each word, "but she never came. I *knew* something was wrong. I should have gone with her, I shouldn't have let her go alone..." 

"Shinnosuke." Kasumi came up behind him and put a hand on his arm. "Don't do this. It wasn't your fault." 

"But if I had been there, she wouldn't have..." 

"It wouldn't have changed anything!" Nabiki snapped. "She ran right in front of a speeding car. Could you have stopped her?" 

"Nabiki!" 

She recoiled a little at the reprimand in Kasumi's voice. "I'm sorry." 

Shinnosuke, however, was staring at her, bewildered. "She did what?" he breathed. 

Nabiki sighed. "I talked to the police. They say that Akane was crossing the street, but she suddenly turned around and ran, ignoring the light as it turned red. The car was going too fast, it didn't have enough time to stop or to avoid her. The driver will be charged for speeding and ignoring traffic rules, but this will be ruled as an accident." 

He tore his gaze away from her to look back on the figure on the bed. "Akane..." 

"The doctors say it's up to her." Nabiki sighed. "But if you ask me, I think..." She took a deep breath. "I think we should be prepared. For the worst." 

"What?" Shinnosuke looked at her, aghast. "You're giving up? Just like that?" 

Nabiki glared at him. "I'm not the one who's giving up here." 

Kasumi put a hand on her sister's shoulder, as she looked at Shinnosuke and tried to soften the blow of her sister's words. "It's true that the doctors say it's up to Akane. We're not sure what the outcome will be, but we... our family," she amended, looking at Nabiki, "has decided to be prepared. Akane... hasn't been well. Ever since Ranma died, we've all pretended that everything will be okay again, and she'd gone on pretending with the rest of us..." 

"But now, we can't pretend any more," Nabiki finished, reaching up to put a hand over Kasumi's, which rested on her shoulder. "Whatever she chooses, we'll support her. We're here for her, to tell her one last time that we love her." 

Shinnosuke was still staring at her, dumbfounded. Finally, Nabiki sighed. "I'm going to get a cup of coffee. Come on, sis." 

With one last look at Shinnosuke, Kasumi followed her sister out of the room. 

Shinnosuke slowly turned around, his gaze resting on the pale, lifeless figure on the bed. There were so many tubes connected to her, and as bad as it made him feel to see her so hurt, he knew these machines were supposed to help her get better. *Or make her more comfortable,* whispered a voice in his head, but he shut it out, refusing to believe it. 

He pulled up a chair and sat down beside her bed, his gaze never leaving her face. She was breathing slowly and steadily, with the help of the machines, but aside from that telling detail that she was still alive, nothing about her resembled the smiling, happy girl she'd been two days ago, when he'd told her he loved her... 

He remembered Kasumi's words. Then again, she might not have been as happy as he'd thought she was... 

*We're here for her, to tell her we love her...* 

He remembered them as Nabiki's words, but somehow, he heard the words in his own voice. 

"I love you, Akane," he whispered, tears finally stinging his eyes. "No matter what happens, I love you." 

*I love you...* 

**** 

She was standing in a clearing, an expanse of land that seemed to stretch for miles. She turned around. All she could see around her was miles and miles of green earth, with small patches of grass on the ground, huge trees with roots stretching deep into the earth... 

*What I am doing here?* 

She looked down at herself. She was wearing a blue dress with a blue blazer, and in her hands, she carried a small white handbag. She was lost in a huge forest, dressed in something like this? 

This had to be a dream. That's right, she thought as she began to walk. She'd wake up anytime now, and realize this was all a dream... 

*Akane.* 

She stiffened at the sound. Turning sharply, her gaze flew over the place, but all she could see were the leaves and branches of trees swaying gently against the quietly blowing wind. 

She was hallucinating again. That's right, that's what it was. She resumed walking. Sometimes, when she would walk past a familiar place in town, somewhere she'd been with *him*, she'd hear his voice out of nowhere, and she'd think she was losing her mind... 

*Akane...* 

There it was again. She ignored it. It was nothing but the wind blowing, she told herself. Or a whisper of the deep longing in her heart. Nothing but her mind playing tricks on her, even after two years of... 

*Akane.* The voice again, more insistent this time. And, was she losing her mind already, or did it sound like the voice was coming nearer... 

Drawing a long, painful breath, she turned around, slowly, deliberately... 

And she could swear she could almost hear her heart grinding to a stop. Just as everything else around them seemed to disappear, leaving only the two of them together... 

There he was. He was as beautiful as she remembered him. Tall, dark hair pulled back into a pigtail over his beautiful blue eyes... wearing a red Chinese shirt and black pants that didn't *quite* hide his familiar, lithe, athletic form... 

*Akane.* He called out her name again, and it was only then that she noticed his eyes. 

He was staring at her, a smile in his eyes... no, not just a smile, she realized. A smile of understanding, of tenderness... of... of *love*... 

Happiness swelled in her heart, so much that she thought she would burst with it. She'd waited for this for such a long time, waited for *him* for so long... 

She started towards him, her steps slowly picking up speed, as years of longing pushed her forward. There was nothing else she'd longed for, nothing else she wanted than to hurl herself into his arms, touch him, feel him... 

"Akane!" 

She halted in her tracks, already halfway to him. A voice called her back. A familiar voice. A *real* voice... 

Slowly, she turned. A real voice that belonged to a *real* man, standing a few feet away from her. 

A real man, who'd told her he loved her a few days ago... 

Shinnosuke watched as several conflicting emotions played across Akane's face. Suddenly, he knew with a terrified certainty that, if he didn't do anything, she was going to leave, she was going to leave him forever... 

"Akane!" he implored. "Please... I... I love you..." 

She stiffened, as if she had a spike driven through her heart. That was how she felt, like her heart was being split in two. Torn between two men, one whom she loved, the other one who had told her that he... loved her... 

Love... 

Slowly, she turned her gaze back to the man in red... to *Ranma*... and she was certain the confusion was evident on her face... 

...and she knew he saw it, for he just smiled, a gentle smile, a smile that spoke of all the love in the world, all the love he hadn't been able to express, when he was still alive... 

*I'm here for you,* came his voice again. *Always. As long as you need me...* 

Tears glistened in her eyes. A small part of her that still hadn't lost its senses marveled at how well he was able to express himself *now* when he was dead, but she ignored it. 

All that mattered to her was he was here, and he was telling her he loved her, and that she... 

She loved him... 

...loved... Ranma... 

The moment seemed to last an eternity, as she smiled at him happily, feeling as if an enormous weight had been lifted from her... 

...the moment passed, and she became aware of another person, another thing she had to do before she... 

She turned to face Shinnosuke, and she could tell, he knew what she was going to say even before she opened her mouth, for his eyes were filled with a terrified panic, as he began to mouth the word "No..." 

Unable to stop the tears now, she looked at him, imploring him to understand. "I'm sorry," she choked out. "I'm so sorry." 

Unable to bear his tortured gaze any longer, she turned, running... 

... and flung herself into Ranma's open arms... 

*Finally...* she thought, as he closed his arms around her, his hand stroking her hair. She pressed her face against his neck, crying softly. 

"I love you, Akane," he whispered. 

*Finally...* 

**** 

Two days later, in the Nerima General Hospital, the machines monitoring Akane's life went flat line.   
  
  


*** End CHAPTER 10 *** 

   [1]: mailto:stiffanie@mailcity.com
   [2]: http://www.angelfire.com/sd/Ranmafanfic/index.html



	11. Epilogue: Till Death do us Part

Waiting For You   
A Ranma 1/2 Fanfic By [Stiffanie Flores][1] Homepage: [Ranma Fanfiction by Stiffanie ][2]

Disclaimer : Ranma 1/2 and all characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi. This fanfic is written for enjoyment and self-fulfillment purposes only. 

Epilogue:  
Till Death do us Part   
  
I need to talk with you again,   
Why did you go away?   
All our time together   
just feels like yesterday.   
I never thought I'd see   
a single day without you.   
The things we take for granted   
we could sometimes lose.   
  
And if I promise not to feel this pain   
will I see you again?   
'Cause time will pass me by   
maybe I'll never learn to smile,   
but I know I'll make it through   
if you wait for me.   
  
And all the tears I cried   
no matter how I try,   
they'll never bring you home to me   
won't you wait for me in heaven?   
  
Do you remember how it was   
when we never seemed to care?   
The days went by so quickly   
'cause I thought you'd always be there.   
And it's hard to let you go   
though I know that I must try.   
I feel like I've been cheated   
cause we never said goodbye   
  
And all the tears I cried   
No matter how I try   
They'll never bring you home to me   
won't you wait for me in heaven?   
  
'Cause i miss you so   
and i need to know   
will you wait for me?   
  


- Will You Wait For Me?

- by KAVANA
  
  


[Final entry in Tendo Akane's diary. Date : two days before her death] 

It's been so long. Sometimes, I still can't believe that Ranma's dead. It's as if I wake up every morning half-expecting that this is all just a bad dream. But it's real. 

I thought I could forget him. In a way, perhaps I have. I can think about him now without crying, and other people can bring up his name without being afraid I'd make a scene. It has been two years, after all. I have to get on with my life. 

Once I had thought that without Ranma, I had nothing to live for. Overcome with grief at the news of Ranma's death, I'd tried to kill myself. In a blink of an eye, my world had turned upside down. My fiance - the person I love... he's dead. I didn't even have the memory of his love to tide me over, because I didn't know if he truly loved me. 

But he did. My family and friends have assured me that he did, and I believe them. I have to believe he did, or else I would go insane. That's all I have now - painful, and yet so precious memories. 

I remember him sitting beside my hospital bed, holding my hand, his blue-gray eyes filled with concern as he watched over me. During that time, his was the last face I saw before I drifted off into unconsciousness, and when I woke up, he was still there, watching over me. 

He left on a journey to find a man who knew a cure for the poison, my family told me. He left to find a cure to save me, as I'd once again managed to get myself into trouble, leaving it up to him to come to my rescue. Nothing too surprising. 

Except now, he never came back. He was gravely injured, Ryouga told me, after fighting the bandits who were taking advantage of two young girls. 

That's my Ranma. Brave, honorable Ranma. He would never turn his back on anyone in need, even when he was in a hurry to get back to me. I would always remember him like that. He never turned his back on me, either. If not for me, maybe Ryouga could have gotten him treatment in a nearby village and he would have been saved. But even as he lay dying, his only concern had been for me. And in my dreams, I see him lying in a pool of his own blood, as he called my name. He died for me. 

Sometimes, the pain is unbearable. It's so hard to go on without him, pretending to be happy when there is nothing left of me but a hollow shell... And then, just when I think I can't stand it any longer, my mind conjures an image of him, his face contorted in pain, as he called my name... and that gives me the reason I need to keep on. Because he died for me. Because I love him, and this is really the least I can do for him. Because I want him to know that I will always love him for that. For loving me that much. For everything. 

It's by far the hardest thing I've ever done, to go on living, putting on a happy mask for my family's sake, even as I felt empty inside. For how could I ever be happy again, when the one person who's ever brought me happiness is gone forever? How could any little joy I have now ever measure up to the happiness and contentment that came with being with Ranma, loving him? 

Time does heal all wounds, as I'm sure it will mine. But even as the hurt grows less and less with each passing day, it digs a deeper hole within me, a void, which I know could never be filled. He has burned himself into my soul, and like carvings against stone, I cannot do anything to undo them. 

My friends, my family... they've all tried so hard to help me fill that gaping hole in my life. I drowned myself in schoolwork, my training, teaching classes during the summer... But somehow, it isn't enough. *Nothing* is enough. 

Nabiki once told me that perhaps the only way to purge Ranma from my heart completely is to fall in love again. But I can't help thinking, can I ever love someone that much again? 

Shinnosuke... he's been a wonderful friend. I can't even imagine the past two years of my life without him. God knows he's tried so hard to help me, to make me forget... 

And he just told me that he loves me. Can I tell you just how much of a surprise this was? Shinnosuke loves *me*. Not only that, he knows I'm still not over Ranma. He told me he would wait for me, until I'm ready. 

I have so much to live for - my family, my friends. Shinnosuke. Here is a man who promised to wait for me until I can accept him. He told me that he would always love me, no matter what happens. I know he can make me happy, take care of me. He's given me everything I wanted, what more could I ask for? 

I remember, I used to want those things from Ranma. I wanted him to say he loved me, and that he would take care of me forever. I wanted from Ranma a sense of security and an assurance that he would always be mine. But he died before he could do any of that. And now, Shinnosuke promises me all of that, and much more. 

I do love Shinnosuke. Not in the way I loved Ranma, but still, I believe I do love him. I love him for all the things he's done for me, for all the good things that he is. 

But I can't love him like that. I'm not sure I can love anyone. Not right now. Maybe not ever. I don't know. 

But I know I can't let things go on, can't continue to deceive both of us that I'd be able to return his love. I'm so sorry to have let things go this far, for not realizing the truth until now. But when he was telling me he'd wait for me, until I've forgotten Ranma, I couldn't deny it anymore. I can't go on pretending anymore. 

I can't let him do this for me. He deserves more than what I can give him. He deserves to be happy. I want him to be happy. And yet, how can he be happy, if I let him continue to love me, letting him hope I'd love him someday, when I don't even know if I can ever find it in myself to love again? Until I'm sure I can love him, the way that he wants me to, I have to let him go. 

I will continue living, and maybe one day, I would be able to open my heart to another. But until that day comes, I'll continue to love Ranma. Even though he's gone, in my heart, I know we'll always be together. I'll always remember him, keep the memory of him safe in my heart, until we're together again. 

**** 

A soft wind rustled through the leaves in the forest. Shinnosuke closed his eyes, and inhaled the clean air. After two years in Tokyo, two years amidst modern technology and modern people, he still came back. 

After all, he reminded himself, he only stayed in Tokyo because of her. Without her, he had no life there. *This* was where he was needed, where he should be. *This* was home. 

He stopped beside a tree, laying his hand against the rough bark. It seemed so long ago, but he could remember it like yesterday. The scene replayed itself in his mind. The woman he loved threw caution aside, stripped off her shirt, risked her life to rescue her beloved. The strong young man, leaping from inside the Orochi's mouth, launching himself at his fiancee, covering her body with hers, shielding her from harm. 

Moments later, he'd stood aside, watching the couple a few meters away. From the distance, through the surrounding mist, he couldn't see their faces, only the young man, tall and proud, standing protectively beside the young woman, looking ready to take on the world for her. And she'd never looked happier, or more content, than she did at that moment, at her place beside him. 

At that moment, standing in this exact spot, he'd known that nothing he could do would make her look at him the way she looked at her fiancee. They were literally meant for each other, in every sense of the word. Even death couldn't separate them. 

Shinnosuke looked up at the sky, endless blue with white wispy clouds. If he concentrated hard enough, he could imagine the young man standing amidst the clouds, his arm around his fiancee. Unlike in the forest, however, he could see the smiles on their faces, the love shining in their eyes. 

The couple turned and walked away, their fingers entwined. Shinnosuke watched them as their figures grew smaller and smaller, until they disappeared completely among the clouds. 

"I wish you happy, Akane," he whispered to himself, as he continued walking home, where grandfather was waiting. 

And he knew that she was, wherever she may be.   
  
  


*** End EPILOGUE *** 

  
  


A note from your author (And a rather long one at that) : 

Hello, people. 

I hope you all enjoyed reading "Waiting For You." I certainly enjoyed writing it. 

The idea for "Waiting For You" was originally conceived when I thought of writing a story about a young couple in love, both dying young, and being reunited in death. This story was inspired by many romantically tragic novels and movies, primarily the Chinese movie "Butterfly Lovers" or "The Lovers" (Chinese title : "Liang Xu") starring Nicky Wu and Charlie Yeung, where the movie itself is in fact based on a Chinese love story. 

Unfortunately, I never got to write the story. A couple of years later, to satisfy my craving for "more" Ranma when the local channels stopped airing Ranma and I'd read the entire Ranma manga, I started to read fanfics. Soon, I began to seriously consider the idea of writing my own Ranma fanfic. Furthermore, while I certainly enjoyed reading Ranma-and-Akane-live-happily-ever-after fanfics, I had wanted my own story to be a bit... different. For lack of a better plot, I took my original plot for "Waiting For You" and revised a few details, and it became a Ranma+Akane story. 

So what kind of story is WFY? Some has said it was dark, some said it was sad, or even depressing as hell, some said it was WAFFy... personally, I prefer to think of it as a "romantic tragedy," where the elements of a darkfic, a sadfic, and a WAFFy fic are combined... At least, this is certainly what it was intended to be. 

"Waiting For You" is my first major fanfic attempt. While on the overall, I am pretty much satisfied with it, there are still some things I want to change. Plenty of revisions are in order, like the scene of Ranma's death, and the reactions of Akane and her family to Ranma's death. However, I doubt that I will have the chance to revise these. At the most, I will probably just do some editing and tighten up some loose spots, but that's all. 

There are many people (and things) that have, consciously or otherwise, contributed towards the completion of my very first finished work. I thought I should give credit to them, before anyone here sues me for plagiarism. ^_^ 

**Chapter 1 : A Gift for Akane**

The idea of Akane pricking herself with a brooch, and thus injecting herself with the poison, was something I'd read in a Nancy Drew mystery a long time ago. 

The design for the dress Akane was admiring was designed after a dress I myself own. And no, it is not like something Shampoo wears. No, it is much more modest than that. ^_^ It looks a lot like many of Akane's sundresses. 

I do realize that Ranma is being extra-nice, not only in this chapter, but throughout the entire fanfic. I like him best this way. ^_^ And besides, I've always thought that Ranma can be nice (really *is* nice, in fact) if he wanted to be, especially after he's accepted that he really loves Akane, which he has in this fanfic. 

**Chapter 2 : Poison**

Akane and Ranma's heart-to-heart talk, I have to admit, was inspired by an almost similar scene in chapter 3 of Alan Harnum's "Waters Under Earth." At least, the part about Akane confessing how she feels about Ranma. Sorry, Alan. ^_^;; 

Many thanks to Gary Kleppe for pointing out my obvious mistakes in Ranma's recollection of his brief engagement to Nabiki in volume 17 in the first draft of this chapter. 

**Chapter 3 : Lost Hope**

I was under the impression that a poison acts most effectively when it enters the bloodstream directly. I'm not a med student, though, so I'm not sure. ^_^;; 

The part about Ranma holding Akane close to keep her warm was inspired by one of my favorite scenes in the TVB series "Cold Blood Warm Heart (Tian Di Nam Yer)", starring (among others) Chi Lam Cheung and Nadia Chan. 

"Chueh Wang" is a Chinese word, meaning "Despair" or "Hopelessness". 

**Chapter 4 : Journey**

The photograph of Akane in this chapter was designed after a very pretty image of Akane - my favorite one, actually. Check it out here if you are interested:   
[http://www.angelfire.com/sd/Ranmafanfic/akanesmile.jpg][3]

Also check out the fan-art I made for this chapter:   
[http://www.angelfire.com/sd/Ranmafanfic/waiting4.jpg][4]

The part about Ranma wanting/trying to "dump" Ukyou is inspired by many similar scenes in other fanfics, not the least of which is, again, chapter 3 of Alan Harnum's "Waters Under Earth." 

**Chapter 5 : Sacrifice**

Ah yes, the bandits' scene. 

I realize it is a pretty lousy (not to mention "unbelievable") way for Ranma to die, but as I've said, I ran out of better ideas. ^_^ Although, to be fair, I have received a lot of suggestions as to how I might be able to improve this scene (thanks, guys!), but unfortunately, I make no promises as to revising this chapter. Regardless, thanks for your comments, guys. 

If I do have the time or the inclination to revise this chapter, the end result would be the same - Ranma will still die from a gunshot wound (since I am of the opinion that Ranma can dodge almost anything - he's that fast). At the most, I will simply try to make the fight (and the death) more believable in the Ranma-verse POV. 

The "nylon rope" thingie is something I've borrowed from an episode of Rurouni Kenshin. I thought it was a dirty trick, just like something ordinary bandits would try out. Don't sue me. 

As a matter of fact, I think "Hiruma" is the same guy who was pretending to be Battousai at the beginning of Rurouni Kenshin, right? ^_^ 

Oh, and check out the great fan-art for this chapter, by MadPsyence. Thanks, Sarah!   
[http://www.angelfire.com/sd/Ranmafanfic/waiting5.jpg][5]

**Chapter 6 : Someone From The Past**

Ryugenzawa. Shinnosuke. `Nuff said. ^_^ 

Shinnosuke is my second-favorite guy in Ranma ". I've always liked the way he fell in love with Akane, and I thought he was the type to be still in love with her even after she left him. Sure, he is a tragic figure, especially since he doesn't do anything to fight for Akane's love, even in the manga. But for me, that's what makes him such a great guy. ^_^ 

And yes, it only figures that he'd realize that Ranma loves Akane, and vice versa, and knowing this, he steps back, thinking that her happiness is most important. As I said, he's a great guy. Perceptive, too. ^_^ 

Yup, Shinnosuke's memory is already healed in this chapter, but I'd planned to deal with the explanation for that later. ^_^ 

Yes, I realize that a lot of revisions are in order for this chapter, such as the family's reaction to the news that Ranma has been fatally wounded, etc. But, as with the previous cases, I make no promises. 

The part about Akane going hysterical and hitting Ryouga is inspired by a similar scene in Judith McNaught's novel, "Perfect." 

**Chapter 7 : Aftermath**

Yep, Akane's going to commit suicide. You just knew that was coming, didn't you? ^_^ 

But no, I didn't want to kill her off this early. I thought it'd be better if Akane died of more natural causes, not by taking her own life. And besides, does anyone else believe that people who kill themselves don't get to go to heaven? ^_^ 

Akane's promise to "go on" (ala Kate Winslet in "Titanic" ^_^) is a crucial point to pave the way towards the conceived ending for WFY. Yup, like I said, this story had an "ending" way before it had a "beginning." ^_^ 

And yes, it's Shampoo. You knew that too, didn't you? ^_^ 

**Chapter 8 : Revelations**

This chapter is named such for the revelations that Shampoo is the culprit behind the attempted murder of Akane, along with Mousse's arrival to confess the details of Shampoo's crime, plus the true identity of Takanari-sensei and his long-lost love. 

I had tried to make a decent attempt at humanizing Shampoo and Cologne. I hope the explanation is acceptable. 

Ukyou's confrontation with Akane in this chapter is inspired (again!) by a similar scene in Alan Harnum's "Waters Under Earth," just before Akane, Ryouga, Genma, and others leave for China. 

Mousse's line "If love listens to reason, then it wouldn't be quite so profound" is actually rephrased from a quote in the TVB series "Remembrance" starring Chi Lam Cheung and Kenix Kwok. The original dialogue went like: "Loving someone doesn't have a reason. (Xi Huan I Ge Ren Shi Mei You Dau Li De.)" 

The ending of this chapter, as intended, sounds rather final, since the next chapter would pick up on things after two years have passed. 

**Chapter 9 : Changes**

This chapter was meant to portray the changes in Akane's life, two years after Ranma's death. She does move on with her life, seems happy enough, but I'd tried as best I could to give the reader a nagging impression that all is not as well as it seems. I hope I've succeeded. 

And yes, Akane's dream was meant as a bit of foreshadowing. Like I said, I plan ahead. 

More explanations to come later. 

**Chapter 10 : Decisions**

Akane's dream in the beginning of this chapter is inspired by the "promise" between Rinoa and Squall in FF8. In fact, it's painfully obvious, especially to die-hard FF8 fans. :) I'm not an FF8 fan, I've never even touched the game, but I fell in love with an FF8 poster and adapted the words into a similar scene in WFY. Check out the poster at this URL if you're interested:   
[http://www.angelfire.com/sd/Ranmafanfic/ff8.jpg][6]

The [crystal rose][7] was inspired by a similar scene in the TVB series [Detective Investigation Files][8] (Part 2), starring Michael Tao as Dai-Yung, and Kenix Kwok as Jessie. (Incidentally, Dai-Yung and Jessie are probably my most favorite on-screen couple, and besides, they remind me a lot of Ranma and Akane. ^_^ They fight a lot, break up once or twice, go through a lot of bumpy roads throughout their relationship, but they still come together in the end, all because they really, truly love each other. Anyway, anyone who's watched this series would know what I'm talking about. ^_^) 

Yes, I had intended to have Shinnosuke confess his real feelings, but I had wanted to have a certain amount of ...suspense?... before Akane's final decision is revealed. To quote Mike Loader (of IMBS fame), "endings require closure and answers", and that is what I intended the WFY epilogue for. 

**Epilogue : Till Death Do Us Part**

It wasn't until I sent out this chapter to the FFML that I noticed that the title is totally wrong for this story. Oh well. ^_^;; 

As previously mentioned, I had always planned to have everything explained (from Akane's POV) in the epilogue. I had meant to portray that Akane will go on living, not only because it is the right thing to do, but simply because she has no other choice - and she only hopes that by doing so, someday she will be happy again. But if she were given a choice, she'd still choose Ranma, life OR death. 

It's my version of a Ranma and Akane love story. "True love doesn't have a happy ending - it simply doesn't end." I hope you liked it, too. ^_^ 

Another thing : I didn't have the heart to leave Shinnosuke hanging from that final scene in WFY chapter 10 (like I said, even if he isn't Ranma, he's still a great guy ^_^), so I envisioned a scene where he'd look up in the sky and see Akane and Ranma together, and know that he did the right thing by letting her go. 

And I just know that he'll be happy for both of them. "Love is being happy just knowing that she is happy." 

Oh yeah, and if you're interested, there's another fan-art for the WFY epilogue, at this URL:   
[http://www.angelfire.com/sd/Ranmafanfic/waiting_ep.jpg][9]

**** 

All that being said, I hope you have all enjoyed reading this story. 

Last but not the least, many thanks to my pre-readers, Jade, Mei, and Sarah (MadPsyence). Thanks a lot, guys. I couldn't have done it without you! 

Thanks to Sarah (MadPsyence) for the fantastic fan-art for Chapter 5. 

Many thanks to Jade for the cool poster fan-art for WFY. 

Thanks to everyone who's sent me C&C and encouraging email. 

Thanks to the authors of so many much more fantastic works Ranma fanfiction out there. You guys were my idols. Really! ^_^ 

Till next time,   
Stiffanie   
  
[stiffanie@mailcity.com ][1]   
[stiffanie@mail.com ][10]   
[http://www.angelfire.com/sd/Ranmafanfic/index.html][2]

   [1]: mailto:stiffanie@mailcity.com
   [2]: http://www.angelfire.com/sd/Ranmafanfic/index.html
   [3]: http://www.angelfire.com/sd/Ranmafanfic/akanesmile.jpg
   [4]: http://www.angelfire.com/sd/Ranmafanfic/waiting4.jpg
   [5]: http://www.angelfire.com/sd/Ranmafanfic/waiting5.jpg
   [6]: http://www.angelfire.com/sd/Ranmafanfic/ff8.jpg
   [7]: http://www.angelfire.com/sd/Ranmafanfic/DIF/difrose.html
   [8]: http://www.angelfire.com/sd/Ranmafanfic/DIF/
   [9]: http://www.angelfire.com/sd/Ranmafanfic/waiting_ep.jpg
   [10]: mailto:stiffanie@mail.com



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